Is This What It Means To Be a Family?
by StripedSocks78
Summary: Born into an abusive household, sixteen year old, Mel Fletcher, has never known what it's like to be part of a real family. So what happens when the rebellious, head-strong, and rude ex-gang member is welcomed into the home of four mutant reptiles that call themselves the ninja turtles?
1. Amelia Fletcher

A hand slammed down onto my desk, startling me from my sleep. I wiped away the drool from the side of my mouth and looked up to find Mrs Kelmar looking down on me. The vein in her head seemed to pulse as her beady little eyes narrowed.

"Am I boring you, Miss Fletcher?"

Her fingers tapped the surface of my desk impatiently as she waited for my answer. Slumping further into my seat, I shrugged "well, yeah obviously. I mean, I wouldn't have fallen asleep if I found you interesting."

Kids snickered under their breaths and I smirked. Mrs Kelmar…well, let's just say it's times like these that really help you to understand why her husband left her for another dude.

Mrs Kelmar huffed "such rudeness. Well then Miss Fletcher, I hope you find detention to be more interesting because you'll be spending the next week there."

"Awesome, I'm in desperate need of a nap" I leaned back, stretching my arms above my head.

Mrs Kelmars' right eye twitched, and so did the single hair sticking outta the gigantic mole on her upper lip. Without warning, I was being yanked from my chair.

"That is it! I have had quite enough of your nonsense, young lady" she said as she dragged me out the door. Her grip on my ear tightened as we made our way to the principal's office.

She released her hold on me and I automatically rubbed the top of my ear. Geez, friggin' cow almost ripped my earing out. Surely this sorta treatment's gotta be considered child abuse!

"Back again I see, Amelia" Ms Durand said with a small smile on her lips. Ms Durand was the receptionist here, and definitely one of the nicest chicks I'd ever met. I think she moved here from France or something. Though I got no idea why she would choose to work in this hell-hole. I mean, with her looks, she could be like a supermodel or something. Yet here she stays, fetching coffee for a bunch of pompous idiots, typing away on the cheap-ass computer with her perfectly manicured nails.

"Sure am. Mrs K just has it out for me" I rested my arm atop of her desk and fiddled with the thick rubber band left sitting there.

"What happened this time?" Ms Durand asked, her eyes never leaving her computer screen.

I picked up the rubber band and stretched it as wide as it could go. "Fell asleep in class, that's all."

"That's all?" She repeated. "Your grades are going to suffer if this sort of behaviour continues."

I rolled my eyes "yeah, yeah, so I've been told. Listen, school just ain't for me, kay?"

Her green eyes flicked over to me for a couple of seconds before going back to the screen "okay."

The door to the principal's office opened and out stepped Mrs Kelmar, just as the rubber band flew from my hand. It shot through the air and smacked her smack-dab, right between the eyes. She yelped and stumbled backwards. I couldn't help but laugh as her face changed from utter shock to pure rage.

"FLETCHER!" She stepped towards me and I smirked. "You thought that was funny!?"

I shrugged "I laughed, didn't I?"

Her fists shook like crazy by her sides as she seethed. "Y-you insolent, petulant little-"

"That's enough, Mrs Kelmar" Mr Harwell's voice interrupted her pathetic attempt at an insult. He stood tall in the doorway of his office, his arms folded behind his back. "Come in, Miss Fletcher."

He stepped aside, allowing me to enter first. Over the years, the principal's office had become kinda like a second home to me. Hell, I was in here almost every day. Mr H never even looks surprised to see me anymore. He always chats to me like he was expecting me. Sitting down in the small wooden chair, I looked around the small office that I knew oh-so well. Mr H sat across from me and cleared his throat. Most of the kids here thought Mr Harwell was a pretty scary dude. Not me though. No, after years of hearing everything that fell outta his mouth, I had lost my fear of him.

"Mrs Kelmar has informed me of your continuous interruptions during her class" Mr H said. He folded his arms across his chest, probably hoping to intimidate me.

I got comfortable in my seat and put my feet up on the edge of his desk. Mr H stared at my feet and scowled. The dude always scowled when he tried getting his point across. It didn't matter though. I already knew his point and I purposefully ignored it. Whenever I was in this office I made it my point to always put my feet on the desk.

"I don't know what to do with you, Miss Fletcher. Your behaviour has gone beyond a joke. Your attitude towards your teachers and other peers is disgusting; your lack of care for your school work has produced deplorable grades-" Mr H held up my file before slamming it down onto the table "-you are by far the worst student we at 'Pine Hills High School' has ever had the displeasure of educating."

Mr H removed his glasses and rubbed his eyes. He sighed loudly before speaking again "Miss Fletcher…I honestly don't know what to do with you anymore. It seems that no matter how I discipline you, you wind up being sent to my office once again."

"So…what? You expelling me or something?" Though I looked cool, calm and collected, the idea of expulsion made me panic. I mean, I'd rather stick it out in this dump than be forced to stay at home.

"Unfortunately I don't think that expulsion is the answer-"

Score!

"-but it will be done, if necessary."

Crap.

Mr H put his glasses back on and opened his desk drawer. He rummaged through until he pulled out a little pamphlet. He slid it over to me and leant back into his chair. I picked up the pamphlet and frowned.

 _Big Sister Foundation._

"What the hell is this?"

"A solution" Mr H said with a smug smile.

I scrunched the pamphlet into a ball and threw it on the floor. Mr H didn't react though. He sat perfectly still, his smile unchanged.

"No way in Satans hell! I ain't being shipped off into the middle of nowhere so some stranger can tell me what to do! Screw that crap" I folded my arms across my chest and looked away.

Mr H stood from his seat and went over to pick up the pamphlet. He smoothed it out as he paced behind me. "That's quite a shame, Miss Fletcher. It was either this or expulsion. Would you rather I expel you?"

I could hear by his voice that he was absolutely loving every second of this. Bastard.

Without realising it, Mr H had managed to slip the pamphlet between my hands.

"My Mum would never allow this" I said as I skimmed through the pamphlet.

"Actually she found it to be a rather good idea when I told her."

I scoffed. Of course she would. Hanging out at a friend's house is a terrible thing to do, but going to live with a stranger…that's just friggin' peachy! She's been waiting for an opportunity to get rid of me and now she finally got it. Fine. Two can play at this game.

"Fine. I'll do it" I said. Guess it would be pretty cool to spend some time alone without my Mum breathing down my neck every friggin' second of every friggin' day.

"Keep the change" I mumbled at the driver as I stepped outta the cab. The taxi sped off down the street and I was left alone on the curb, looking up at my new home.

 _2_ _nd_ _Time Around_

Great, I get to spend the next few months in a crappy antique store. Whoop-dee-friggin-doo. Oh well, at least I'm in New York. I trudged over to the front door, dragging my suitcase behind me. I knocked and waited for an answer. Krillin, my Bearded Dragon, crawled outta my hoody and onto my shoulder. I tickled his chin and smiled.

"Don't worry, buddy. Ain't no way in hell we're sleeping in the alley tonight" I said and looked back at the door. Still no answer. Well this is an awesome start to my visit. All the lights seemed to be out and I couldn't hear a thing. Geez and people call me rude. I mean, you'd think since they knew I was coming that they'd be here to open the friggin door, but noooo! Pfft, whatever. I'll just have to find my own way in.

I entered the alley beside the shop and knelt down beside the side door. I pulled out my little pocket knife and slid it between the crack in the door and the door frame. After a few seconds of jiggling the door swung open but as soon as it did an alarm went off. Quietly cursing to myself, I grabbed my bag and ran up the stairs. I reached the top floor and went to the only door there. Luckily for me, this one ain't locked. Pushing the door open, I stumbled inside and dropped my bag. My hands ran across the walls looking for a light switch. Finally finding one, I flicked it on and the room filled with light. I rested my hands on my hips and looked around the room. It was small but at least it was cosy.

My attention was drawn towards one of the doors that flew open. A red-headed woman ran from the room with a baseball bat raised above her head, shouting 'who's there!?'

Her eyes landed on me and she frowned "if you're here to steal something then you've got another thing coming!"

I rolled my eyes and pulled out the wrinkled pamphlet from my pocket. I held it up between my two fingers. The woman stared at the pamphlet for a moment before gasping. The bat fell to the ground and she covered her mouth with her hands.

"Oh my- I'm so sorry! I wasn't expecting you until tomorrow. I didn't mean to attack you" the woman said quickly, waving her hands in front of her.

I held up my hand and plopped backwards onto the couch. "Relax lady, no harm done." I kicked my boots off and slipped off my hoody, making Krillin fall into my lap. I scooped him up and rested him on the arm of the couch.

"You must be Amelia Fletcher" she said, watching me with curious eyes. Her eyes seemed to be soaking up every little detail about me. They lingered on the dragon tattoo I had on my arm before going back to my face.

"It's Mel" I said and lay back onto the couch, using my arm as a pillow.

The woman made her way over to me and held out a hand "I'm April O'Neil. It's a pleasure to finally meet you."

I stared at her outstretched hand and rolled my eyes "I don't shake kay?"

Her smile faltered and she dropped her hand. April stood there awkwardly. I could tell she wanted to say something but I wasn't about to ask her what she wanted. Quite frankly, I didn't care. I just spent the last 5 and a half hours on a plane filled with screaming kids and their obnoxious parents, the only thing I want right now is a good nights' sleep.

April cleared her throat "I'm afraid your room isn't finished yet. I was going to put the finishing touches on it tomorrow." She looked down the hall then back down at me "you're welcome to have my room for the night?"

"Nah, it's all good" I said.

"Are you sure?" April looked a little surprised, though I got no idea why. "I would hate for your first night to be spent on an uncomfortable couch."

"I said I was fine, kay?" I said with a roll of my eyes.

April stared at me with a blank expression. "Okay, I just wanted to make sure your stay is comfortable."

I laughed bitterly and sat up "kay, listen lady. We need to get a few things straight here." I held up my finger "one, I don't need some stranger looking out for me, kay? I ain't nobodies responsibility. And two-" I held up another "-I'm only here 'cause I gotta be. No other reason. So there's really no need for you to be getting all chummy. You're off the hook" I said with a dismissive wave of my hand.

April stood there with a shocked face, not knowing how to respond. Rolling my eyes, I stood from the couch and brushed past her. "Bathroom?"

"Uh, yeah it's just down there" April pointed down the hall and I gave a quick nod. I picked my suitcase up from the floor and headed towards the bathroom.

Aprils' POV

I was startled awake by the shop alarm going off. I grabbed my Shell-Cell from the nightstand and dialled Donatello. Three rings later I was welcomed by the tired voice of my favourite turtle.

 _April? It's 1:00 AM. Is everything alright?_

"Donnie, I'm sorry to wake you but I need your help" I said in a shaky whisper. I could hear on the other end that Donnie was already out of bed.

 _What's the matter, April?_

"The alarm in the shop just went and I'm thinking that maybe-" I was cut off by the door to the living room being swung open, followed by a loud thud and cursing.

 _April? April, talk to me!_

I was on the floor next to my bed, peeking over the top of it at my bedroom door. "Someone's broken in, Donnie!"

 _We're already on our way. Just hold tight, April._

The both of us hung up and I breathed deeply in attempt to calm myself. Master Splinter had been teaching me a few moves to defend myself, but there's no way I'm ready for a fight just yet. I crawled over to my closet and pulled out the baseball bat Casey had given me. Gripping it tightly, I raised it above my head and charged from my room.

My eyes narrowed as I noticed a strange girl standing in the middle of my apartment. I looked her up and down, my frown deepening; she looked like a new recruit of the Purple Dragons. Her short, bright pink hair with black streaks stood up in crazy spikes at the back, while her bangs covered the right side of her face. Her eye shadow was dark blue and her lipstick matched her hair. She had a small earring on her lower lip, one in her nose and eyebrow, and three on the top of her ear. Several upside down crosses around her neck. The black hoody she wore went to her knees, covering the fishnet stockings that were covered in small tears.

"If you're here to steal something then you've got another thing coming!" I said threateningly, waving my bat a little.

The girl simple rolled her eyes and pulled out a crinkled piece of paper from her pocket and held it between her fingers. I stared at the pamphlet in her hands before realisation finally hit me. I mentally slapped myself. This is the girl I'm supposed to take care of for the next few months! Oh my goodness and I just attacked her! Though in my defence she does look like a thief.

"Oh my- I'm so sorry! I wasn't expecting you until tomorrow. I didn't mean to attack you" I said quickly, waving my hands in front of me.

The girl held up a hand and fell back onto my couch. "Relax lady, no harm done" she muttered as she kicked off her tattered boots. She pulled her hoody over her head, revealing a black Metallica 'Master of Puppets' cropped singlet. The girl looked at her lap and gently picked up a lizard and placed it on the arm of the couch.

"You must be Amelia Fletcher" I forced a smile as I continuously eyed her up and down. My eyes lingered on a dragon tattoo she had on her arm, but it wasn't the same style as the ones the Purple Dragons wore.

"It's Mel" came her short reply before she lay down.

I introduced myself to her and explained the situation of her room. I offered her my room but she very rudely shot me down. I don't know why this girl is here if she doesn't want to be! She's just taking up a spot that someone else could've have used. No, no April, don't think like that. You knew what you were getting into when you signed up for the 'Big Sister Foundation'.

Amelia brushed past me, asking for the bathroom. I told her it was down the hall and she grabbed her bag and disappeared, slamming the door behind her.

Hmm, this girl was worse than I imagined.

The window opening made me turn around to see the four turtles now standing in my living room, all with their weapons drawn.

"We got here as fast as we could, April" Donatello came and stood by my side, his eyes scanning over the living room.

"So where the shell is this creep?" Raphael asked as he spun his Sais, heading towards the kitchen.

"I'm sorry guys" I started and they all looked at me "but this has just been a simple misunderstanding."

"What do you mean, April?" Leonardo sheathed one of his katanas' as he stood in the doorway of my bedroom.

"Turns out it wasn't the usual break in" I said.

"Is there another kind of break in?" Michelangelo scratched his head before staring at Amelias' lizard on the arm of the couch. He broke out into a grin and knelt down to get a closer look.

"Cooool lizard, April" Mikey wiggled his finger in front of its face. The lizard blinked and stuck its' tongue out before quickly launching itself into the air and latched onto Mikey's' face. Mikey screamed his usual girlish scream as he jumped back. Mikey shook his head wildly from side-to-side trying to get the lizard off. His brothers began to laugh as Mikey bounced around the room. I too had to stifle my laugh as I watched the humorous display.

"What in Satans' hell?"

All of us spun around swiftly to find Amelia standing in the hall watching us with stunned expression. Besides Mikey's girlish screams, the room was eerily silent. The three turtles glanced at one another before resting their gaze on me. I stood there with a giant lump in my throat, not knowing what to say. What could I say?! There's no way I'd ever be able to think of a reasonable explanation.

Amelias' shock quickly turned into a look of rage. She stomped towards Mikey, her hands balled into fists by her side. She grabbed hold of Mikey's bandana straps and held his head in place, her other hand was held out under his nose. Her lizard released its hold and dropped into his owners open palm. Amelia let go and went back to the couch, rubbing her pets head gently.

"It's okay Krillin. Did the mean turtle hurt you?" Amelia asked and the lizard shook its' head 'no'.

"Hurt him!?" Mikey cried. "I'm the one that almost got my nose bitten off!" Mikey pointed to his nose for dramatic effect.

Amelia placed Krillin on the couch once again before turning to Mikey with her hands on her hips. "What the hell were you expecting? A kiss? If you're stupid enough to stick your face where it's not wanted then of course you're gonna get bitten! You ever hear of personal space, moron!?"

Mikeys' eyes watered slightly. "I'm not a moron" his lower lip quivered.

"Uh…April…?" Leo rested his hand on the hilt of his katana, watching Amelia closely.

Amelia sat down on the couch and propped her feet on the coffee table. She folded her arms across her chest and frowned "what the hell are you staring at?"

The turtles looked taken aback, all except for Raph; he seemed to be quite aggravated with her attitude.

"Guys, this is Amelia-"

"Mel!"

I bit my tongue to keep from snapping at the young girl and continued "-Fletcher. The 'Big Sister Foundation' sent her over. She's originally from California. I actually wasn't expecting her until tomorrow but now that she's here, we're going to have a blast. Right, Mel?"

Mel rolled her eyes with a shrug "whatever you say lady."

"You're the girl April was telling us about?" Donatello asked, putting his Bo-staff away.

Mels' eyes flicked over to Don "don't sound so disappointed, dude."

Don's defences went up "no, I didn't mean…I just…I-"

"I know what you meant" Mel interrupted. "I know I'm not what anyone expected. I get it a lot."

"There's a surprise" Raphael muttered, crossing his arms. Mel narrowed her eyes at him but remained quiet.

"We just imagined someone…" Leo trailed off, struggling to find the right word. "…taller?" Leo finished lamely.

The four of us stared at him incredulously. Leo dropped his gaze to the floor, an embarrassed smile on his face. It took every ounce of strength I had to keep from face-palming.

Mel smirked "taller, huh? You see, I always take that as 'gee, I'd thought you'd be better looking'."

Leo's eyes widened slightly and he raised his hands up in front of him "no, no, no. That's not what I meant! You are good looking, in your own way. No, not in your own way, that sounded wrong. See, the truth is-"

Mel interrupted his rambling "grab the wheel, dude. You're swerving."

Raphael smacked the back of Leo's head. Leo frowned at his brother as Raph just smirked in response.

I laughed nervously before turning my attention to Mel "um, these are my friends. Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello, and Michelangelo."

They each waved in greeting. Mel seemed to be no longer interested because she lay down and closed her eyes.

"Whatever" she rolled over so her back was facing us. "I'm beat. I'd appreciate it if you could all keep your gobs shut while I get some shut eye, kay?"

I shook my head in frustration and smiled apologetically at the turtles. "I'll, uh, see you guys tomorrow."

They nodded their heads in agreement before leaving through the window. Taking one final glance at the young girl on my couch, I sighed and went back to bed.

Maybe she'll have a better attitude in the morning.


	2. Shopping?

"This is stupid," I grumbled as we entered yet another clothing store. First official day here and I'm already being dragged around the stupid mall, going into different stores full of crap I wouldn't be caught dead in. All I wanted to do was go home, sprawl over my bed and teach Krillin some more tricks. Right now I'm teaching the little dude how to high-five. He's pretty awesome at it.

"It's not stupid, it's fun" April said as she led me through the aisles of brightly coloured fabric.

Fun definitely ain't a word I'd have used. Boring. Pointless. A complete and utter waste of what precious time I had left on this planet seemed to be more appropriate.

"I hate malls. I hate shopping, especially for clothes" I grumbled, folding my arms across my chest.

April stopped rummaging through the clothes rack and looked down at me. "Don't be silly, Mel. All girls love shopping!"

"Not me. Hell, I'd rather walk barefoot over burning hot coals than go shopping." I held up the sleeve of a hideous purple button up shirt. I twirled one of the buttons between my fingers until it popped off. April gave me a disapproving look but I ignored her. "I'd go 'round naked if I could. Though I don't even like seeing my naked body when I shower, so I doubt I'd be able to stroll 'round butt-naked for strange eyes." I flicked the button into the air and never saw where it landed.

"Is this what you're like when your Mum takes you shopping?" April looked at the price tag on a yellow shirt. Her eyes widened and she put it back, shaking her head and muttering 'not a chance'.

"Mum's never taken me shopping" I said with a shrug.

"Never? At all?"

"I said never! What are ya deaf?!" I snapped.

April blinked in surprise and muttered a quick 'sorry'.

I sighed and continued browsing through the multiple racks of clothes "Mum was too busy to do stuff with me, kay?"

There was a silence.

April looked at me with sympathy and I frowned. I didn't need no ones sympathy. It was just the way things were. I was used to it. Mum was always too busy drinking, or hanging 'round with different men, she never had time for her 'sorry excuse for a daughter'.

April changed the subject by holding up a frilly yellow sundress covered in hideous Daisies. "This would look really cute on you."

April must've noticed the look of disgust on my face 'cause she asked "what's the matter?"

"That dress is rank, dude" I said with disgust.

April frowned and placed the dress back on the rack "I wish you wouldn't call me dude".

I rolled my eyes "yeah, well I wish I was doin' something else but that ain't happening neither."

Well, this day was a total waste of make-up.

I shoved my hands into my pockets and left the clothing store. I heard April follow me but she seemed to be keeping her distance.

Hmm, I wonder if I'm able to ditch her.

I glanced at her over my shoulder to see her staring at a pair of heels on display. I smirked and quickened my pace but Aprils voice made me freeze.

"Where do you think you're going?"

"The bathroom" I kept a straight face as I lied.

April smiled and said "okay".

Haha, sucker.

"I'll go with you."

Crap!

"Despite my height, I am a big girl, kay? Ain't no need for someone to hold my hand".

April just smiled and brushed past me "I know you can go by yourself, but I also know that you're trying to ditch me." She turned to me and smirked "so, still need to go to the bathroom?"

"No" I huffed and folded my arms. She smiled in triumph and walked away.

I trudged after her. This ain't over O'Neil. Oh no, not by a long shot.

I sat down in an empty chair, waiting for April to emerge from the change room. It was quiet in the store. A TV mounted above the clerks counter was playing some sorta crappy chick flick. The clerk was nowhere in sight. My eyes trailed over to a clock hanging above the entrance to the change rooms. Twelve minutes had passed and April still hadn't come out. Seriously, how long does it take to try on clothes!? A girl could die of boredom just sitting here.

My ass was so asleep it was beginning to dream, so I decided to stretch my legs. My fingers gently brushed over the items of clothing as I made my way from one end of the store to the other. As I did, two girls entered the store giggling and babbling incoherent nonsense. They looked like the typical bleached-blonde, yuppie, cheerleading types.

I noticed them glance at me as I sauntered over to a display of dresses. I could care less though. People always stared as I passed them, tutting and shaking their heads. Like I seriously need their approval. My eyes landed on a dress that, though I hate to say it, looked quite pretty. It was plain black with black feathers 'round the hem. Turning over the price tag I sucked in air at how expensive it was. Damn. What kinda young girl had THIS much money!

"That looks beautiful, Mel" April said from behind me. "Are you going to buy it?"

I let go of the price tag and shrugged "nah. It ain't my style." Turning 'round to April I saw her with an arm full of clothes. "Sure ya got enough there?" I said with a small smirk.

Her cheeks flushed as she patted the pile of clothes, "a girl can never have enough clothes."

The two of us made our way to the counter to pay. The clerk still wasn't back and I was beginning to get impatient. April rang the bell and placed her pile on the counter. I tapped my foot and frowned. April rang again.

Still no clerk.

I swiped the bell of the counter and repeatedly slammed my palm down on it. April pried it from my hands and put it back to its original spot. I sighed in frustration before slamming my palms down on the counter and leaning over it.

"Oi!" I shouted at the back door, "ya got customers out here waiting to buy stuff! If ya don't want us to steal these clothes then ya best get your ass out here!"

April stared wide-eyed at me, a pink tinge covering her cheeks. The two girls from before stared in silence. Other people that were entering the store quickly exited.

A second later and the clerk came rushing towards the counter, re-buttoning her skin-tight shirt. I smirked in triumph and rested my elbow on the counter. The clerk placed a hand on her hip and stared at us like we were wasting her time.

"What do you want?"

April patted the pile of clothes on the counter and smiled, "just these, thank you.""

The clerk rolled her eyes with a sigh.

"Nice skirt," I commented and the clerk glanced at me. "It goes well with those hickeys on ya throat."

Her hand flew up to her neck and she blushed.

"Does your boss know that ya got some guy you're screwing back there?"

When she didn't reply, I smirked.

"Didn't think so. Listen lady, if you got time to mess 'round back with your knickers 'round your ankles, then you got time to serve customers, kay?" I clicked my fingers and gestured to the pile of clothes. "Now lose the attitude and put our clothes through."

The clerk looked shocked, like no one had ever spoken to her like that. She hesitated before putting the items through. She handed April her bag with a forced smile. April stood there frozen to the spot, purse in hand. Rolling my eyes I grabbed the purse from her hand and payed the clerk, throwing in a five dollar tip.

"Go buy yourself a personality" I said, dragging April away from the counter.

Once we had left the store, April made me stop. She shook her head side-to-side with a frown, crossing her arms.

"I'm very disappointed in you, Mel" she said.

"Wha-! Me?!" I pointed to myself with my thumb. "What the hell did I do!?"

"You were very rude to that clerk in there."

My shock turned to anger "that chick was asking for it! She had an attitude like no ones business!"

"You didn't need to be rude back. You should treat people the way you want to be treated."

"That's a load of bullcrap and you know it, O'Neil! You should treat people the way they treat you! And if people gonna be treating me like crap, I'm gonna treat them like crap!"

April tutted, "that's not a good way to look at things, Amelia." My eyes narrowed when she used my full name but she held up her index finger so I wouldn't speak. "You have to be the bigger person here, which is why I want you to go and apologise to that lady."

"I ain't apologising to no one 'cause I done nothing wrong here." I folded my arms, standing my ground.

April copied my stance, narrowing her eyes as well, "apologise. Now."

"No," I said.

I could already tell this wasn't gonna end well. I'm too stubborn, and that gets me into trouble. Though in this case, I know I'm right and I ain't apologising to someone who don't deserve it.

Aprils' jaw tightened and she stepped towards me. She made a quick snatch at my wrist and tried to drag me towards the store.

"Let go!" I yelled but she didn't listen. I tried again, "April, let me go, now!" I was so angry. I couldn't control the anger I felt at this moment. I yanked my wrist from her grasp making her stumble slightly.

"Amelia," April turned to me angrily.

"Screw you, O'Neil!" I snapped. "You can't make me do things I don't wanna do! You're not my mother, so quit acting like it!"

I turned on my heel and ran out as fast as I could.

Aprils POV

I rubbed my forehead with a grumble as I watched the angry teen make a run for it. Great job, April, now she thinks you're her enemy. I probably just ruined whatever chance I had to get close to that girl.

I tightly gripped the handle of my shopping bag before chasing after her. I can't leave her like this. Who knows what she'll get herself into with a mood like that! I left the shopping mall and sprinted across the car park. I came to a stop on the edge of the curb and turned in a full circle. She couldn't have gotten far. Following my gut, I turned left and walked down the sidewalk, keeping an eye out for a bright pink blur.

"Hey, baby! Wanna have some fun?" Came a distant cat call. I turned and saw three young boys, probably late teens; leaning against the entrance of an alleyway. Several beer cans were between them. A tattoo of a purple dragon on their arms caught my attention, making me clutch my bags tighter. I continued on, ignoring the group.

"Yo, bitch! We talkn' to you!" Another voice screamed, though it was more high pitched than the first. I sensed movement behind me and giving a quick glance over my shoulder allowed me to see that they were now following me.

I picked up the pace but so did my pursuers. I rounded the corner only find myself face to face with a dead end. I spun on my heel, hoping to get away before they caught up but it was too late. I was surrounded.

"Stay away from me" I yelled, my voice quivering slightly. I fumbled through my purse and pulled out my Shell-Cell. I held it up in front of me and kept my finger over the 'Call' button. "Take another step and I'll call the police."

"Go ahead" the tallest of the three stepped forward, a crooked grin on his face. "By the time they get 'ere, we'd 'ave done all we wanted to you."

The other two boys stepped closer as well, identical smirks on their faces. The taller boy reached for my hand and I pulled back sharply. He laughed and grabbed hold of my wrist. Giving one quick tug, I was held up against his chest. I kicked and screamed trying to fight free but he was a lot stronger than I was.

"Don't worry 'bout it, baby" he chuckled breathily in my ear. "I can be real gentle."

Two grunts from behind made the boy pull away. I stumbled back, desperately trying to keep my tears from falling.

"Back off jackass."

I looked past the boy in front of me to see Amelia standing above the two unconscious bodies of the other boys, a trash can lid held firmly in her hands. Her eyes were cold and dangerous. It sent a shiver down my spine.

"Get outta 'ere, girlie! This ain't none o' your business," the boy yelled at her.

Amelia remained where she was, seeming unnerved by the situation.

The boy growled low in his throat, "you deaf or somethin', bitch?! Go on, get!" He turned back to me and smirked. Once again he reached for me but Amelia stopped him.

"Lay one finger on my friend and I'll drop ya where ya stand!"

Oh no, Amelia, don't antagonize him!

The boy laughed, a cruel and mocking sound, "that so, eh?" He took a step forward and held his arms out, a wicked grin on his face "I'd like ta see ya try, runt."

As soon as those words left his mouth the trash can lid Amelia was holding was now hurtling through the air at a dangerous speed. The boy didn't have time to react as it made contact with his forehead and knocked him to the ground. He lay sprawled across the alley ground, silent and unmoving.

My body shook as I stared at him. I thought he was dead, but surely getting a hit in the head couldn't kill him like that…could it?

"He ain't dead."

I jumped at Amelias voice. I didn't even notice her standing beside me. She stared at the boy with a blank expression before slowly meeting my gaze.

"M-Mel…how did you…?"

"I was by the car 'til I saw ya sprint past me like a crazed woman. Thought it'd be best to follow ya…good thing too" Mel muttered the last part as she crossed her arms.

It was in this moment when I realised what Amelia had just done for me. Smiling, I placed my bags on the ground and wrapped my arms around her. Her body went rigid at the touch.

"Whoa, what the hell are ya doing?"

"Hugging you" I said.

Even though I couldn't see her face, I just knew she had rolled her eyes. "Yeah, no duh, lady. WHY are ya hugging me?"

"You saved my life," I said, pulling away.

Mel looked away and shrugged "no big deal."

"It is to me" Mel glanced at me from the corner of her eye as I spoke. "Thank you, Mel. Really, thank you. I owe my life to you."

Mel made a little grunt of surprise before giving me a dismissive wave of her hand, "hell, O'Neil, ain't no need to be getting all dramatic. I was in the right place at the right time that's all."

There was moment of silence before I pointed out, "you called me your friend."

"What?"

"When he was about to touch me, you called me your friend."

Mel stood still, her gaze cast downward and a slight blush on her cheeks "yeah, and? I mean, it ain't a big deal. You shouldn't go reading into things like that. It was just a slip of the tongue, that's all."

"Slip of the tongue, huh?" I bit my lip to keep from smiling.

"Let's just get outta here. Krillin is probably wondering what's taken so long." Mel left the alleyway and I followed.

Seems like Amelia isn't cold-hearted after all.


	3. Unwanted Guests

-crime is at an all-time high-

-Cowboys show fight in playoff win-

-I'm a Goofy Goober, yeah!-

-You'd better, or else I'm gonna get…sarcastic-

I was flat on my stomach, flicking through TV channels aimlessly. It was 2:00 AM and April was fast asleep in the room next to mine. I couldn't ever sleep at night, which is the reason why I'd fall asleep in class. So I had to keep myself busy at night and TV seemed like a good idea.

Krillin thumped his tail down on the bed when a documentary 'bout lizards came on. I smiled and left it on and Krillin crawled to the end of the bed and stared at the screen. I gave him a soft pat on the head before leaving the room. I made sure to tiptoe to the kitchen so April wouldn't hear me. Last thing I need is for her telling me to go to sleep. I grabbed a glass and filled it up from the tap. A small noise from downstairs made me freeze. I listened closely, thinking that maybe it was my mind playing tricks, but it wasn't. Someone was down there.

Resting my glass on the counter, I grabbed a knife from the drawer and stalked towards the door. I stepped out onto the landing and looked down at the dark staircase. As I moved down the stairs the noises got clearer. The door was slightly opened and I peeked through the crack, seeing five shadowed figures wandering 'round the shop.

Crap, this is just friggin' peachy. So the alarm goes off for me but not actual intruders!? Typical.

The men, at least I think they're men, well, it ain't gonna make a damn difference anyway, men or women they're gonna be getting their asses kicked! They didn't look to be stealing anything, so what else could they want? Well, no choice but to find out for myself I guess.

I kicked the door open, surprising the small group. From outside the shop, the light from a street lamp came in through the window and fell on the faces of the five intruders. A low growl slipped from my lips as I saw the three boys from earlier; but the other two I ain't never seen before.

"That's 'er! The bitch in the alley," the tallest boy yelled as he pulled out a lead pipe.

I smirked when I saw a massive purple bump on his forehead. Damn, I'm stronger than I thought. "How's your head, dude? Looks kinda painful…though it does improve your face a little. So, what do you idiots want?"

"We came ta return the favour," he grinned, tapping his palm with the lead pipe.

Behind him, one of the intruders kept glancing at the door.

"You got someplace you gotta be?!" The, I'm gonna say leader of the group, turned 'round to the guy inching his way towards the door.

The guy looked at me then back to his leader. "Man, dontcha ya know who this chick is? She's Lil' Bitch of the Crimson Dragons. She's dangerous, man, and I don't want no part in this."

As soon as those words left his mouth he made a break for the door, but I sprinted up behind him and tackled him to the ground, knocking over a very expensive looking vase. I jabbed the kitchen knife into his shoulder blade, making him howl in pain. I yanked it out but before I could strike again, I was tackled by somebody else. He had a metal chain in his hand, which he swung and smacked me across the side of my head, making me fall flat on my ass. Kay, now I was pissed! The dude with the chain swung again, but this time I caught it and swung side to side, making him lose his balance and get a kick in the face. I then got slugged right in the jaw from behind. I stumbled forward, catching myself on the counter. The boys from the alley were advancing towards me.

These idiots got some nerve coming here. They need to learn it's rude to come in uninvited, and I'm gonna be the one to teach them that.

I grabbed the cash register from the counter and swung it 'round, knocking one of the advancing boys to the ground. The leader charged at me and swung the lead pipe in his hands. I caught it with one hand, and grabbed the collar of his shirt with my other hand and flipped him over my shoulder through the front door and onto the curb. The other boy hit the back of my knee with a baseball bat, causing me to fall forward and bash my head of the corner of the counter. He grabbed the front of my shirt and yanked.

"Bastard!" I spat, pulling my leg up and kicking him offa me, followed by a quick jab to his nose. His hands flew to his now broken nose and screamed in pain. But I ain't finished with him yet. I wrap my arm 'round his neck and twist him over myself, crashing him onto the floor with a thud. I got to my feet and cracked my knuckles with a smirk.

"Who's next, boys?"

Feet pounding against the wooden floorboards made me look to my left to see one of them charging towards me. He barrelled into me and sent me flying into a cabinet pressed up against the wall, the florally painted dishes fell from the cabinet and shattered on the ground 'round me. The cabinet wobbled before falling forward, I rolled outta the way just in time. I glanced over my shoulder and ducked to avoid the knife that I'd brought down with me. The boy twirled it between his fingers before taking another swipe at me. I jumped back to avoid getting my gut sliced open. Another swipe, another dodge. I sidestepped outta the way as he charged forward with his arm thrust out at my chest, and elbowed him in the back making me drop his weapon. I kicked the back of his leg and punched the base of his neck, knocking him out cold.

"What on Earth is going on down here?"

I spun on my heel and froze as I noticed April standing in the doorway, watching me with wide eyes.

"Mel!? What happened?! Who are they?! Oh my-you're bleeding!" She came rushing over and touched my forehead with her fingertips. I winced and swatted her hand away.

"The douche from earlier showed up with his lackeys. I was just telling them how rude it is to show up uninvited," I glared over my shoulder. They were all on the ground, two of them trying to crawl away. When I looked back, April had a weird looking mobile held up to her ear.

"Donatello, it's April. I know I woke you again, but this time it IS an emergency."

"Is that those turtles? I don't need help, O'Neil," I reached for the phone but she held it away and continued talking.

Two arms wrapped 'round my body from behind. I made a noise of surprise as I was yanked off my feet and thrown to the ground. He sat on top of me, pinning me to the floor. I growled as the leader grinned, the kitchen knife raised above his head.

"Not so tough now, are ya, Lil' Bitch." He brought the knife down but I caught his wrist. I struggled beneath him but damn, the bastard was strong. My hand began to shake when he placed his other hand on the knife and pushed down harder. I turned my head to the side as the blade inched closer to my face.

"Mel!" April screamed, briefly distracting the leader on top of me. I snapped his wrist upwards, making him drop the knife. I punched him in the gut and he doubled up. I grabbed the side of his head and head-butted him, knocking him on his ass, allowing me to get to my feet.

He was quick to jump back to his feet. He snarled at me and threw an uppercut, hitting me square in the chin. I toughed it out though and kept standing. I shook the blow off and returned the gesture by punching him in the jaw. I swung again hitting the left side of his face. Another swing and my fist connected with his right cheek. I got dirty and punched him square in the groin, dropping him to his knees. Taking hold of his shoulders, I drove my knee into his face, knocking him onto the floor.

He stayed down this time.

Wiping the blood from my lip, I picked up the knife from the floor and stumbled over to April. She pulled me in for a hug but I shover her away.

"I'm fine, kay!" I said angrily.

April sighed, "let me help you with that." She pointed to the deep gash on my forehead and grabbed my hand. I let her drag me from the room but heavy footsteps made us stop. Before I could turn 'round I felt a sharp pain in the back of my head. I fell forward onto the ground, the wet feeling of blood running down the back of my head and neck.

Aprils' screams were the last thing I heard before slipping into unconsciousness.


	4. Old faces, new threats

"When we get out of here, you'll all be sorry! Do you hear me? My friends are going to come and save us!"

April stood at the cell door, gripping the metal bars with shaky hands. Dry tears stained her face as she continued to scream, hoping someone would hear her. It was really starting to get on my nerves. I sat on the chipped cement ground, my back pressed up against the blood stained wall. My wrists were bound by rusty chains so there's no way I'm going anywhere. April screamed again and I just couldn't take it any longer.

"Will ya shut your mouth, O'Neil? Your screaming ain't helping nothing!"

Her hands slipped from the bars as she fell to her knees. After a minute of silence she asked "we're going to die here, aren't we?"

I rolled my eyes "ain't nobody gonna die. Hell, are ya always so dramatic?"

She kept her gob shut and crawled over beside me. She glanced at me "how can you be so calm? Look at where we are! We're both in chains in a dirty basement of the Purple Dragons hideout! I thought you'd be angry!"

I narrowed my eyes at her. "What do ya want me to do? Scream and cry 'bout how unfair this is? Be realistic, O'Neil! These douchebags don't care 'bout that crap. Hell, if ya were to drop dead right now they'd just drag ya out to the curb. Now I may be a hot-headed bitch but I ain't an impatient one, kay? Spitting the dummy and throwing a hissy fit ain't gonna do squat. We just gotta wait."

April shifted so she was staring straight at me. "Mel? Have you…been in this kind of situation before?"

I avoided eye contact and ran my tongue over my bottom lip, not answering her question.

"Mel?" She pressed.

The sound of footsteps bouncing off the walls silenced us both. A large figure came into view and I sucked in air as I stared up at him. His eyes widened a little before swiftly narrowing into slits.

"Mel? What the hell are you doing here?"

April looked between the two of us in surprise.

I scowled at him "what the hell does it look like?! I've been caught by your stupid lackeys" I held my wrists up to prove a point.

"How could you be so careless!? Why the hell would you allow yourself to get caught?!" He gripped the bars as he scowled.

I got to my feet, my temper starting to flare. "Oh, ya know, I figured I'd get a kick out of getting kidnapped and thrown into a mouldy basement. It's so friggin' awesome!"

I stepped back as he yanked the cell door open and stepped in. His hands balled into fists by his sides. "Don't back-chat me, girl."

"Well don't ask a stupid question next time, dumbass!"

He raised his hand, ready to slap me across the face, but April stood in front of me.

"You want her? You have to deal with me first!" April tried to keep her voice strong and steady but I still heard the slight tremble it held.

I stared at the back of her in surprise. She's standing up to Hun…for me. A rude, no-good, lost cause. This chick has gotta have some serious issues. One punch from Hun would kill her.

Hun smirked "that can be arranged." He cracked his knuckles, getting ready to punch her face in, but I shoved her aside. I sidestepped just as he swung and he stumbled forward. Now behind him, I swept his legs out from under him and he face planted into the brick wall. He groaned while getting to his feet and I got into a fighting stance. He turned to us with a scowl before breaking out into a loud laugh.

"That's my girl!"

"I'm not your girl, Hun." I said, my words laced with venom.

April looked confused as hell as she looked between the two of us. "Mel, what is he talking about?"

I glanced at her from the corner of my eye. "He's my father, well, only biologically, of course."

"What?!" April's mouth hung open. "Hun is your father?!"

"Only biologically."

"Hun is your father?" April repeated, making me roll my eyes.

My 'father' pulled a key from his pocket and unlocked my shackles, then April's. They fell to the stone floor with a 'clang'.

"Follow me."

He led the both of us out of the prison. I squinted at the brightness of the hallway until my eyes finally adjusted.

"Stay close and keep ya mouth shut." I whispered low so only April could hear me.

April gave one quick nod before walking so close beside me that our arms kept brushing against one another. Her body trembled and I noticed she was trying to bite back her tears. With a sigh, I grabbed her hand, hoping it would calm her down a little. Her grip tightened on my hand as we walked further down the hall.

Hun led us up a crappy staircase and past a large empty space. When we reached our destination, he held the door open for us, and once we were inside, he slammed it shut. The room was dark and mouldy with bright white red bulbs and pale green wallpaper covered in small disgusting flowers. Hell, it looked like a couple of 80's hippies threw up in here. He made his way over to a large mahogany desk placed in the centre of the small office and sat down, resting his arms on the top of the desk.

"Have a seat, ladies." He motioned for us to sit down in the two deck chairs that were placed in front of the desk.

"We're fine standing, kay?"

He watched me with a dispassionate gaze, his darks eyes glinting in the light.

"You're a long way from home." He said after a moments silence, leaning back in his chair.

"Quit the small talk. What do ya want with us?" All these formalities were a piece of bullcrap. I just wanted to get straight to the point so we could haul ass and get outta here.

He watched me for a moment before smirking. "I heard you left your gang." Aprils' grip tightened on my hand but she stayed silent. "Care to explain as to why that is?"

I shrugged my shoulders, keeping a blank expression on my face. "That's my business, kay?"

"Seeing as how I gave you that gang, it IS my business. So I'll ask you again: why did you abandon the Crimson Dragons?"

"Didn't want it anymore." I said simply.

"Typical." He stood from his chair, narrowing his eyes. "You always were an ungrateful bitch."

My anger sparked at that comment. "And what the hell did I have to be grateful for?!"

"I gave you a gang! I gave you power!"

"All things I didn't want in the first place!"

"I was proud knowing that my daughter was leader of the Crimson Dragons! That people feared you, just by hearing your name! I gave you that privilege, and now you're throwing it back in my face!?"

"Don't spoon feed me that crap! You weren't ever proud of me! And the only reason I ever took charge of that stupid gang was 'cause I had to!"

Before anything else could be said, a lanky, middle-aged man burst through the door. "Boss, we got trouble!"

"What is it now?!"

"It's the turtles, sir. They're here."

Hun had a look of rage as walked towards us. He roughly grabbed my wrists and held them in place while the lanky dude tied a rope 'round them. They then did the same with April. He shoved us out the door and back down the way we came. My father and his lackey walked behind us, making sure we didn't make a run for it.

April leant her head down and whispered to me. "Where are they taking us, Mel?"

"To the turtles." I whispered back, quickly glancing over my shoulder.

"Why would they do that?"

"They're gonna try make the turtles surrender by using you as bait."

"Me?" Her eyes widened. "How are they going to do that?"

"They're gonna threaten you're life."

"WHAT!?" April cried.

My father shoved her in the back, knocking her to her knees. "Shut your mouth and keep moving."

I helped April to her feet and she began to cry. "It's gonna be fine, April. Just calm down."

"W-why? Why didn't you tell me your father was Hun? That you're in a gang?"

"How the hell was I supposed to know that ya knew who Hun was? And I'm not in a gang anymore. I haven't been for, like, a year."

"You still should've told me."

"Maybe you're right." I looked at her from the corner of my eye. "But my past ain't something I'm proud of, so forgive me for not wanting to remember it."

There was a minute of silence until she spoke again. "You really didn't have a choice, did you?"

"Oh I had a choice…I just made the wrong one."

"You're not that person anymore, Mel." She smiled down at me.

"Yes I am."

"No, you're not. Not really. You only believe you're still that person because you won't put the past behind you. We're living in the present, Mel. Whatever you've done before doesn't matter anymore. You have to put it behind you. And I'll be here to help you with that."

I was stunned by her words. I looked at her with wide eyes. "Why would ya say that? Surely ya can't believe that."

"I wouldn't say it if I didn't believe it. I've seen the good side of you, Mel. It's there and I know you want to show it. I just think you're afraid to."

"Why the hell would I be afraid to show it?"

"I don't know. Maybe, you don't want to let your guard down in case you get hurt."

My heart skipped a beat at her words. She nailed it, perfectly. But how could she know that!? She doesn't even know me that well! Am I really that easy to read?

I was relieved when we approached a set of double doors at the end of the hallway. April began to fidget as we neared the doors. To be honest, I was a bit fidgety myself. I dunno why I was though, I mean, this ain't exactly a new experience for me.

My father grabbed the two of us by the shoulders, digging his fingers into our flesh, while his tag-along lackey opened the set of double doors. We were shoved forward into an arena. The cage in the centre of the room was currently occupied by the four turtles and 'bout a dozen Purple Dragons. The members that weren't brave enough to join the fight stood in the stands surrounding the area, all screaming and cheering as they watched the cage match.

The noise was insane, but then again it always was when something like this happened. Gang hideouts were always situated in the crappiest parts of the city so people, mainly those in uniforms, wouldn't 'disrupt' whatever activity was going on inside. Not that any law enforcer cared enough to investigate anyway. That'd just be asking for trouble, and the boys in blue usually turned a blind eye when it came to gang activity. They know they'd just be signing up to get a bottle over the head or a knife in the back.

My father dragged the both of us towards the cage, silencing the crowd as we passed them row by row. We entered the cage and the fight between the two sides instantly ceased.

"April!" All four turtles said in unison, a look of relief flashing across their faces. April stepped towards them but was yanked back.

"Let the girls go, Hun." Leonardo said, holding his twin blades in front of him.

"I have a better idea." My father smirked before dragging April forward and pushing her to her knees. He picked up a baseball bat that lay abandoned on the ground, stood behind April, and rested the bat next to her head. The turtles tensed. "Surrender, or else I'll end your precious girlfriends' life right now."

April sobbed uncontrollably. The turtles looked as scared as hell. All three of them looked to their brother, Leonardo, for guidance.

"Don't do this, Hun!" I found myself yelling at him.

He ignored me, keeping his gaze fixated on the turtles. He tapped the side of her temple with the bat, making her flinch. Leonardo looked torn, like he was fighting a battle inside his head, before sighing and throwing his weapons aside. His brothers seemed to hesitate before doing the same. My father nodded his head in their direction and a couple of Dragons went forth and tied their hands together. Their legs were kicked out from under them, bringing them to their knees. My father pulled April up by her hair and threw her into the arms of two Dragons. He then pulled me forward and untied my wrists.

"Mel Fletcher!" He announced in a loud, booming voice, as he scanned the crowd. "Or more properly known as Lil' Bitch! Leader of the Crimson Dragons!" Murmurs filled the silence. The turtles looked surprised then enraged. My father placed a hand on my shoulder and smirked. "Also known as…my daughter!"

"WHAT!?" The turtles yelled.

My father knelt down in front of me, placing both hands on my shoulders. "You've let me down already; don't make the same mistake now."

"What the hell are ya talking 'bout?" I narrowed my eyes, not liking where this was headed.

He smirked. "I'm giving you a chance to redeem yourself. Do this one thing for me, and I'll be extremely proud of you. That is what you've always wanted, no? For me to be proud of you?"

I hesitated before nodding. "Yeah, I guess. What do ya want me to do?"

"It's quite simple really…" He stood and walked towards the turtles "…all you have to do, is kill them." He threw the bat he was holding towards me when he finished talking and I caught it with ease. He picked up the turtle with the red bandana, Raphael.

I stared at the bat in my hands before looking back at him. "Kill them? But I-"

"Don't 'but' me, girl! Do this and make me proud!"

I licked my incredibly dry lips as looked at the crowd.

Kill them.

Could I really do something like that?


	5. Just like true Dragons

"Make your old man proud and kill him" Hun said, dragging the red clad turtle forward and throwing him at my feet.

Raphael sat on his knees, eyes filled with hatred and rage as he scowled up at me. The room was filled with cheers and chants. Everyone wanted me to do this. My father wanted me to do this. He said I'd make him proud by doing this one little task. For years I've craved the attention of my parents, craved their approval, their love…I HAVE to do this.

"What are ya waitin' for?! Just do it!" Raphael growled, snapping me from my thoughts.

My palms began to sweat as I gripped the baseball bat between my hands and raised it above my head. His brothers screamed in protest, while my father stood on the sidelines, egging me on.

"Mel! Please don't do this! You're better than this!" April begged. The two Purple Dragons restraining her pulled her back, one covering her mouth with his gloved hand.

What the hell am I even doing?! If I do this, I'll be shoved back into the gang life, with no way out. Crap, I dunno what to do! If I do this, I'll earn the respect of my father…maybe. But if I go through with this, I'll lose April…the only person that seems to have hope for me. Kay, time's ticking Mel, make a decision NOW!

My eyes shifted over to the three turtles, still screaming for me to spare their brother. Their eyes all held the same emotions; fear, sadness, anger…and love.

Love that they shared for their brother. The brother I was 'bout to take away. I'd do anything for someone to look at me like that. I wonder if this turtle even knows how lucky he is to have a family that cares so much. Probably not.

That's it…I can't do this.

I threw the bat to the ground, making the crowd break out into a series of boos. Raphael looked at me with confusion as I grabbed the sai from his belt and cut the ropes from his wrists.

"What the shell are you doin'?"

"Getting you and your bros outta here" I said, pulling him to his feet. I gave Raph his Sai back and told him to free his brothers while I dealt with these douchebags.

My father yanked the cage door open and stomped towards me. I stood my ground, though a sliver of fear ran down my body. The second he reached me I was greeted by a slap to the face, which sent me sprawling onto the ground.

"You useless, pathetic little bitch! I give you one thing to do and you screw it up! You know what you are? You're weak! Nothing but a weak little girl that breaks everything she touches!"

His words stung like a bitch, but I covered up the pain with a bitter laugh. "At least I'm not scum."

"What did you just say?"

"I said you're scum!" I screamed the words at him, making sure he heard them. "Ya preyed on my Mum, a sick, needy woman."

"Your mother was looking for someone to take care of her and her daughter, and I stepped up." He pointed his thumb at himself for effect.

"Pfft, yeah, and ya did one helluva job," I scoffed, my anger rising, as I pulled myself up from the floor. "Ya were always treating the both of us like crap, just so ya could feel like a man. But when that wasn't good enough, ya used your fists to show ya were all big and tough. Ya seriously think beating on a defenceless woman and child makes ya a man?"

"I never beat you" he said in defence. "You just needed a firm hand."

"A firm hand? A firm hand!?" My voice rose. "Ya call a split lip and cracked ribs 'a firm hand'? Were ya using a firm hand when ya broke my arm? Or knocked me so hard I busted my head against the coffee table and ended up needing ten stitches?" My fingers traced the faded scar that remained hidden by my bangs.

"You were a problem child."

"With the way I was treated that ain't no friggin' surprise!" My nails dug deep into my palms but it was the only thing stopping me from crying. I wasn't gonna cry 'cause of him. No way would I ever give him that satisfaction. "And if that ain't enough, you forced my Mum to choose between you and me."

"It's not my fault your mother was weak." He moved towards me, sticking his big, stupid finger in my face. "It was her decision to turn her back on you. You should be mad at her."

"I'm mad at both of ya!" I slapped his finger away. I could feel the rage, just thinking 'bout how they treated me, how they looked at me. It made me angry. "I've been fending for myself since I was in diapers. Poor ol' Mel didn't have anyone to watch her back! No, 'cause relying on others makes ya weak, don't it, _Dad_? Well ya know what? I ain't that weak little kid you used to boss 'round all day. I can look out for myself, and I don't need you or anyone else for that matter! So how 'bouts we forget the fact that we're father and daughter, and treat the situation like a couple of Dragons would?"

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying it's Dragon against Dragon. Me and you, right now."

He laughed a cruel, mocking sound. "You want to fight me? Fine, if it's a fight you want, then it's a fight you'll get!" He shouted.

I braced myself, waiting for his attack. He suddenly lunged forward, his freakishly large hand balled into a fist, ready to strike me down. I got ready to sidestep, but I was shoved aside and my father stumbled forward as he hit nothing but air.

What the hell?

Two warm arms were wrapped tightly 'round my waist and I looked up into the face of Raphael.

"Raphael? What the hell are you doing?" I ain't gonna lie; I was surprised to find him still here. I thought they had all left.

He glanced at me briefly "we're gettin' you outta here." He let go of my waist and grabbed my hand, pulling me off stage, but I yanked my hand from his. He turned on me in anger "what are you doin'!?"

"I ain't leaving now! I have to do this!" I spun on my heel, ready to charge back into the fight that had broken out between the Dragons and the turtles, but Raphael gripped the back of my shirt, keeping me on the spot.

"You ain't doin' squat!" He yanked me back, instantly wrapping one arm 'round my body so I couldn't move.

I growl at him as he pulls me away from the fight, MY fight. "Let go of me!"

He only tightens his hold on me, angering me even more. Without thinking, I stomp on his foot, making him release his hold on me. I then ball up my fist and sock him right in the nose!

"Ow! What the shell was that for?!" Raphael rubbed his nose, fire burning in his eyes.

Instead of answering him, I just threw another punch.

"Will you knock it off-"

Another punch.

I pulled my fist back, ready to strike again, but this time he caught my fist.

"So far we're scary chick three, and Raph zero, but that's gonna even up real quick if ya don't keep your hands to yourself."

I glared at him "back off, turtle. This is my fight, not yours!"

"Not anymore it ain't. These goons kidnapped April and threatened my bros, so we're involved whether you like it or not" Raph crossed his arms across his chest. His very wide, muscular chest…oh crap, was I just ogling him!? Ugh, gross, Mel, come on!

My eyes snapped back to his "I can handle this myself."

When he didn't respond, I turned my back on him, setting my sights on my father. One step and I was knocked to the ground. Groaning, I kicked the unconscious Purple Dragon offa me and sat up.

"Oh yeah, you handled that like a pro." Raphael stood above me with a smug smirk on his stupid face.

"Shut up" I grumbled under my breath. Of course I would have to get knocked on my ass while HE was watching.

"Raph!" Leonardo shouted as he swept the legs out from under a Purple Dragon. "I told you to get Mel out of here! April and Donnie are already outside."

"Touch me, and I'll hurt ya" I threatened as Raphael reached for my arm. He froze mid-air and narrowed his eyes. I backed away from him. Once I thought he wasn't gonna grab me, I stopped and looked to my left. I leant back quickly, dodging a blow from a giant fist. My fathers' fist.

The two of us circled one another, moving slowly 'round without getting closer. He crouched slightly, his eyes narrowing into slits. His fists tightened as he held them up in front of him.

I took my own stance, preparing myself for whatever was 'bout to happen.

Lizzy.

I'm doing this for you.

He lunged forward, I sidestepped and smacked across his temple. He easily shook it off and backed away as I jumped towards him, which left me open for his foot in my lower back. I gasped at the contact and backed off, trying to regain myself.

He didn't give me much time though.

I blocked whatever punch he threw my way, while bringing my knee up into his stomach. He brought his leg up, trying to hit me in the back again, but I grabbed his leg and held it tight. I yanked him forward into my foot, making contact with his ribs. He fell backwards, recovered, crouched and jumped at me, landing a good blow across my temple.

I stumbled backwards, shaking my head to clear the black spots from my vision. I felt his arms wrap 'round my chest and shoulders as he shoved me backwards into the cage, his fist making contact with my head again, my shoulders scraped against the chain links as I slid down to the ground. His hand closed 'round my throat and tightened as he raised me off the ground. I tried prying his fingers from my throat, but it useless. I couldn't see a way outta this hold, and the longer he kept his hold on my throat, the weaker I grew. My vision began to blur, and I was struggling to keep my eyes open. My heart raced as I realised he was gonna kill me.

I can't die now…not like this.

The pressure from my throat was lifted and I dropped to my knees. I coughed and spluttered as I gasped for breath. The pain was extreme. Even though my head was still spinning, my vision returned, allowing me to see my father on the ground and Raphael standing in front of me, twirling his Sais between his fingers.

"R-Raphael…?" I managed to choke out but my throat stung like crazy!

He glanced down at me "you okay?"

I nodded weakly and he held out his hand. Reluctantly slipping my hand into his, I was pulled to my feet and Raphael wrapped his arm 'round my waist to keep me from falling. Heat rushed to my cheeks, but why?

I shifted awkwardly in his hold. "Raphael, what ya did just now…I mean, I'd like to…" Crap, why is this so hard!? I sighed and tried again "ya saved my life, so…thanks, I guess."

A slight smirk appeared on his face "no problem. Couldn't exactly let that big lamebrain strangle ya to death, could I."

Before I could respond, my father had gotten to his feet once again, glaring daggers at the two of us. Raphael moved me aside and raced towards him, flipped over his shoulders and swung his leg 'round, making contact with my fathers' chest.

Though it didn't seem to have any effect.

Raphael threw punches left and right into his stomach, and still my father stood tall, unaffected by the turtles' attempts.

"Do me a favour. Be a cooperative little mountain and just go-"

Raphael was cut off as my father belted him, sending him flying backwards into the cage. "-down."

I couldn't help but feel worried as I watched my father stalk towards the turtle. My eyes flickered to the right when I noticed Leonardo running towards the two. He leapt through the air, slicing an overhead spotlight with his katana, which fell on top of my father.

That still wasn't enough to keep him down. He picked up the shattered spotlight and hurled it at the two turtles, knocking them off their feet. I picked up the baseball bat I'd deserted earlier and flung it at the back of his head like a javelin. He flinched when it made contact and turned on me.

"You just don't learn, do you?" He picked up the bat, patting his palm with it as he walked.

I shrugged while taking a step back. "Guess I'm just a slow learner."

"COW-A-BUNGA!"

My father crashed into the cage from the forceful kick. Michelangelo stood from his crouched position and clapped his hands together.

"Nice kick." I couldn't help but comment.

He grinned and pointed to himself with pride. "They don't call me 'Air Mikey' for nothing." His grin vanished as my father stood. "Don't look now, but tiny still wants to dance."

My father gripped the bottom of the cage and pulled. It creaked and groaned as the bolts were ripped from the ground. The cage began to cave in above us.

"Crap." My hands hovered above my head in a pathetic attempt to protect myself.

One final tug and the cage fell in on us. I felt the weight of the heavy metal walls crush me into the ground, and then…nothing.

Everything had gone black.

Crap…my head.

What the hell happened?

 _Is she going to be okay, Donnie?_

Who…April? That you?

 _I'm not sure, April. Her head injury is the one I'm worried about._

Warm fingers run themselves through my hair and I flinch at the contact.

 _I'm tellin' ya guys, bringin' her here was a mistake._

 _Raph-_

 _Don't 'Raph' me! This is gonna come back and bite us in the shell's! Or am I the only one here who seems ta realise that she's related ta Hun!_

 _She's nothing like Hun, Raph. I know she may come off as rude and ill-mannered, but she has a good heart._

 _Open your eyes, April! There ain't nothin' good about her! Would a good person be paradin' around with gang tattoos?! Let's not forget, this scary chick almost bashed our heads in!_

 _But she didn't! Instead she freed you. We could be dead right now if it wasn't for her._

 _And what if it was just a trick, huh? Anyone stop ta think of that?! What if she's workin' with Hun and the Purple Dragons? Ya know, pickin' us off one by one?!_

"If I wanted ya dead, I woulda killed ya already." I sat up with a groan, rubbing my temple in attempt to ease my killer headache. It took a few blinks before my vision returned, but when it did I saw all four turtles standing at the end of the wooden desk I was laying on. April stood next to me with her arms crossed.

"Do ya have to stand 'round me like that? Hell, I feel like I'm in a viewing."

"Don't flatter yourself, princess" Raphael muttered, folding his arms 'cross his chest.

I growled low in my throat. "Don't call me princess."

"Oh yeah?" He smirked. "What are ya gonna do about it?" He leant in closer to me and poked me with his finger. _"Princess."_

"Get your stubby, green finger outta my face, turtle."

"Make me, princess."

As soon as those words left his mouth I grabbed his finger and bent it backwards. He yelped in pain, or was it surprise? I dunno, but either one was satisfying. "Don't. Call. Me. Princess."

I let him go and he rubbed his hand, scowling as he did so. "I told ya she was dangerous! We shoulda never brought her down here!"

"There was nowhere else we could've gone, Raph" Leonardo said. "The Purple Dragons know that Mel was staying at April's place. It's not safe there anymore."

"So you're gonna endanger our lives for the sake of this!?" Raphael pointed at me. "Well I ain't willing to take that risk! Now I say we drop her off on the Purple Dragons doorstep and let them decide what to do wit her!"

"Are you crazy?! They'll kill her!"

"Good! That's another piece a Dragon scum we don't haveta worry about!"

"You need to calm down, Raph. April says Mel isn't that type of person, so perhaps we should trust her."

Raphael turned on Leonardo, poking him in the chest. "You need ta quit being so naive, oh Fearless Leader. This girl is a threat, and it's our job to put an end ta threats." Raphael snatched his Sai from his belt, gave it a twirl, and held it against my throat.

Everyone's mouths fell open in shock, 'cept for mine of course. I looked at him with a blank expression, down at the weapon against my skin, then back at him.

"If you're gonna kill me, then kill me, but I gotta question first. If I'm such a threat, then why in the hell did ya save my life back in the cage?"

He seemed to freeze at that question.

"She's got you there, bro" Michelangelo whispered. Raphael glared but kept his gob shut. When he didn't answer I continued.

"You coulda let Hun kill me and that woulda been the end of it. So, why did ya bother?"

He narrowed his eyes as his grip tightened on his Sai. "April wanted us ta save you, so we did."

I shook my head side-to-side slowly as I studied him "that ain't why."

A look of surprise crossed his face. Minutes passed and the room still stood still. Raphael growled and tucked his Sai back into his belt.

"Whatever. You guys do what ya want." He stormed away upstairs and slammed a door so hard the picture on the wall shook.

Leonardo sighed and looked down at me. "I'm going to go see if he's okay. Donnie here will fix you up and then we'll talk, okay?"

"Whatever ya say, dude" I shrugged and he walked away.

Michelangelo smiled and waved before leaving too, leaving me alone with April and Donatello.


	6. Letting my guard down?

"And this is where the magic happens" Donatello said with a smile as he led me into a small laboratory made out of an old train car.

Since last night, I have been officially living in the sewers, with four giant turtles and a rat…yeah, I still have a hard time believing that myself. It's true though. April and Leonardo both thought it'd be 'safer' for me to live here with them so that the Purple Dragons wouldn't find me.

Pfft, as if I'm stupid enough to believe that crap!

I know they only want me down here so they can keep an eye on me. They don't trust me, which is why I'm now being babysat like a friggin' toddler. I'm stuck with Donatello today, which should be fine. I mean, he is the most bearable of the four.

Right now Donatello is giving me a tour of their 'lair'. It's a pretty sick place really. Their entertainment system is awesome!

"Damn, check out this set-up." I let out an impressed whistle as I checked out the lab. I noticed Donatello grinning like mad from the corner of my eye. Looking 'round I saw scattered pieces of hardware, wires, canisters' with letters TCRI written along the sides, fibre optics, microfluidics, and all other sorts of junk that could be used to create some serious gadgets.

Yeah…I'm a bit of nerd.

My eyes widened when they landed on the computer, decked out to the max, perfectly positioned in the centre of the worn-out, wooden desk.

"No friggin' way."

"What is it?" Donatello asked.

"Is that a Dual Processor G5?" My fingers lightly traced the outline of the beautiful machine.

If turtles had eyebrows, Donnie's woulda been on the top his head right now. "You know about computers?"

"Surprised I'm not as dumb as I look, Donnie?"

"I'm not surprised, I'm pleased." He gave me a warm smile. "Now I know we have something in common. We're becoming friends already."

My face heated slightly so I kept my head down. The idea of gaining a friend already makes me a little anxious. The only friend I've ever had was Lizzy. I could hear Donatello sitting down and wheeling his way over to me. The computer chimed, making me look up at the 27 inch, brilliant coloured, NEC flat screen monitor. He pulled up another chair next him and patted the seat, inviting me to sit.

"This baby has over five gigs of RAM, three two hundred and fifty gig hard drives, and a T1 line hooked directly into the net."

He looked at me, his smile growing. I bit down on my tongue to keep from smiling, but for some reason it's difficult. I've always had excellent control over my emotions, until now. Not even five minutes have I been in his presence and I already feel my emotional guard beginning to slip.

Damn this stupid turtle!

I wanted to turn my back on him, storm outta the room while shouting some offensive comment how I don't give a crap 'bout what he's babbling on 'bout…but I couldn't. Donatello seems to be one of those people that ya just can't get angry with. No matter what they do. I've heard 'bout people like them, but I always thought they were a myth, yet Donatello proves otherwise. It's so friggin' frustrating!

"Why are ya being so nice to me!?"

The words were outta my mouth before I could stop them. I mentally cursed my outburst. Donatello watches me for what feels like minutes. He then breaks out into another smile.

"I don't really know, Mel. I just get the feeling you could use some happiness in your life. And some people who are nice."

I'm so stumped by that comment I can't even come up with a good response. My mouth finally closes when he pats my shoulder. "So, would you like to try this baby out?"

I just shake my head side-to-side, still confused by him. He smiles, again! Turns back to the computer and begins typing away.

I watch his three fingered hands glide across the keyboard as I fight with myself in my head. Out of all of the turtles, Donatello has been the most accepting. Not once has he looked at me judgmentally or like he didn't trust me. He was the one that bandaged me up last night. He was trying his best to make sure he didn't hurt me, and never got angry when I snapped at him. He's been making an effort to talk to me…maybe, I could do the same.

"So…" I tapped my fingers against my knee. "…have ya seen the next generation cambium processor with quantum encryption?"

His face brightened. "Absolutely. That is one massive and magnificent piece of machinery."

"Massive and magnificent piece of machinery?" I repeated. "Didn't know ya had such a way with words."

"They got you to smile though, didn't they?"

My hand flew to my mouth. Huh, whaddya know, I was smiling. I didn't realise that I was. I looked down at my feet, suddenly feeling self-conscious.

"Why are you trying to hide your smile?" Donatello leant in closer, trying to get a better look at my face.

"None of ya business!" I glared at him but it quickly disappeared. The guilt of snapping at him quickly ate away at me, making me sigh in defeat. "I just hate my smile, kay?"

"Why?"

"Cause my teeth are stupid."

He looked confused as he leant in to get a better look at my mouth. I sealed my lips tighter, moving away stubbornly as he reached for my arm.

"Let me see." He reached for my hands, and this time I let him pull them down. I opened my mouth so he could see for himself.

"I gotta gap between my two front teeth and I just hate it, ya know? It's stupid and ugly, and food gets caught in there, which sucks ass!"

Donatello chuckled and I covered my face with my hands. "See? I told ya it looked stupid!"

"That's what you're worried about? It's adorable" Donatello smiled warmly, removing my hands from my face and holding them delicately in his.

Adorable? Well…that sure as hell ain't what I was expecting to hear. My hands squeezed his as I avoided eye contact. Why is he complimenting me? People never compliment me.

"Are ya always this nice?"

He chuckled. "Only to people I like."

"Why are ya trying so hard to befriend me? I ain't even that nice."

He gave me a smile and opened his mouth to speak, but Michelangelo busted through the door, interrupting our conversation.

"Mikey, I've told you before, you can't keep busting in here without knocking first."

"Sorry bro, but this is an emergency! We need your help! Quickly!" Michelangelo said in one rushed breath.

Donatello gave me a quick glance before rushing outta the lab with his brother, me trailing behind at a slower pace.

"This is the big emergency?!" Donatello stood in front of their set of TV's, hands on his hips.

"It IS an emergency, Donnie. I can't watch any cartoons now!" Michelangelo's hands flew to his head.

All the TV's stacked up on one another had static covered screens. The other turtles, and the rat, Splinter I think his name was, surrounded Donatello as they gave out 'bout the TV having no reception. Donatello had a look of frustration on his face as he tried explaining why he couldn't fix it right now.

Poor dude looks like he could use a hand.

"Hey, give the poor dude a break, will ya?" I said, standing beside the purple masked turtle. "He only got six fingers."

Donatello smiled in appreciation.

"Butt outta this, princess. It ain't none of your business" Raphael said angrily.

My eyes narrowed at him "I'm making it my business, douchebag. Frankly, I ain't liking the way you're treating your brother. He ain't a slave!"

"Oooh, suddenly you're Miss Sensitive" Raphael said with a mocking tone. "This ain't your business. Stay outta it. This ain't your family and you got no right stickin' your nose in our business!"

Things were 'bout to get real ugly if Leonardo hadn't stepped in.

"That's enough you two!" He looked between the two of us. "I don't know why you two hate each other so much-"

"I can give ya a reason" I muttered darkly, staring at the red clad turtle with fire in my eyes.

"-But if you're going to be living under the same roof, then you're both going to have to make an effort to get along." Leonardo folded his arms. "Now, each of you owes the other an apology."

"You gotta be kiddin'!"

"No friggin' way!"

No way in Satan's Hell was I apologizing to that douchebag! Hell, I got nothing to apologize for!

"You first, Raph" Leonardo said, turning to stare at his brother.

Raphael looked like he was 'bout to blow a fuse. "Why do I have ta go first?!"

"Because you started it. Now apologize." Leonardo stayed completely calm during the situation. Gotta say, I kinda admire that.

Raphael glared daggers at his brother. "No way. I ain't apologizing first to that little-"

"Raphael!"

Raphael froze mid-sentence as the rat dude stepped forward. "That is enough, my son. Your brother is right. You must apologize to our guest."

"But Master Splinter, I-"

One look from the rat made Raphael shut his gigantic trap. He bowed his head in respect before looking at me. "I'm, uh…I'm sorry about, well, ya know."

I crossed my arms and looked at the ground.

"Miss Fletcher?" Splinter pressed.

I sighed in defeat and looked up. "I'm sorry too."

"Aww that's so nice" Michelangelo cooed from his place on the couch.

"Listen…" All eyes turned to me as I spoke up. I don't know why I was doing this. I just felt so guilty, but why should I feel guilty? Crap, I got no idea why! Oh well, just go with it Mel.

"If ya guys want, I could fix your TV. Ya know, 'til Donnie here gets 'round to it."

"You know how to fix things like that?" Leonardo had the same look of surprise on his face as Donnie did before.

"Of course she does. Mel here is quite the tech genius." Donnie smiled, patting my shoulder gently.

I gave a dismissive wave of my hand "I wouldn't say that. My house was a piece of crap, like; everything just broke all the time. If I didn't learn how to fix crap like this, then it'd just stay broken." I went over to inspect the TV's before turning back to the turtles. "I'm gonna need a coat hanger and an empty soda can."

They gave me funny looks, but Donnie left and brought me a coat hanger, while Michelangelo brought me an empty can. I was easily able to rig up a homemade antenna and get almost perfect reception. It ain't much, but it'll do the job for now.

"There we go. It ain't a permanent solution but it'll do the trick for now."

"Awesome trick, dudette!" Michelangelo said happily before vaulting over the back of the couch.

Splinter walked towards me and gave a slight bow of his head. "Thank you, Miss Fletcher. I don't know what I would have done if I wasn't able to watch my stories tonight. Cody is going to break up with Donna, I just know it."

"No problemo, dude."

Donnie stood next to me, shaking his head with a small chuckle. "You really are something else, you know that, Mel?"

I shrugged my shoulders, a small smile pulling at the corners of my mouth. "I guess." What else can you say to something like that?

"Mel! Come play a video game with me!" Michelangelo waved me over eagerly.

I made my way over to him and he patted the seat next to him. I settled down beside him, kicking my shoes off, and crossing my legs.

"I thought ya were gonna watch cartoons."

"I changed my mind." He smiled and pulled out a shoebox from under the table. He shoved a controller in my hands before jumping up.

"Pick a game, Mel, and I'll get us some snacks."

He ran from the room, leaving me to stare at the large collection of games squished tightly into the small cardboard box. Damn, this dude had a lota games, mostly single player…I think. I don't play lota video games. A lot of them looked like fantasy type games, ya know, with swords, bows and arrows, weird mystical creatures.

Crashes from the kitchen made me jump.

"Hey, Mikey! Could you keep it down to only a slightly deafening cacophony?" Donnie yelled into the kitchen as he sat down beside me.

"Sorry bro, we don't have any ka-ko-fony. But we do have popcorn!" He smiled happily while leaving the kitchen, holding the bowl of popcorn above his head like a trophy. "The glorious golden kernels of freshly popped joy! Woohoo!"

He dropped the bowl on the table, but not before shoving a large handful of popcorn into his mouth. "So, what game did you pick?"

I shrugged "I dunno what to choose. I've never played a video game before."

Michelangelo choked on his food. He coughed and punched his chest, a tiny popcorn kernel flying from his mouth. "You've never played a video game before?!"

I shook my head 'no' and he grabbed me by the shoulders, shaking back and forth wildly. "Are you crazy, woman!? How could you not have ever played a video game!?"

"Hey, easy there, Mikey! You're going to make her head fall off!" Donnie grabbed my shoulders to keep me still. I sat there kinda dazed from being shaken like a salt shaker but quickly shook it off.

Michelangelo inserted a disc, swiped up his controller from the table, took a fistful of popcorn, and plopped down on my other side. A colourful picture with different animated characters filled the screen of the TV followed by the words 'Super Smash Bros'.

"Choose your character, dudette."

I stared at the controller in my hands then back at the screen. "Pikachu, I choose you!" I smiled as I selected my character.

Michelangelo laughed before choosing his own character: Bowser.

"I get to play winner" Donnie said, grabbing a piece of popcorn.

"Prepare to be destroyed, little lady" Michelangelo gave me a cheeky smile.

"There's only one person being destroyed today, and it ain't gonna be me, reptile!"

The game started and I was knocked down almost instantly. Crap. I fumbled with the controller in my hands, quickly trying to figure out the buttons. Once I was sure I knew how to play, my character was already dead, and Michelangelo's character danced 'round the screen in victory.

"Booyah! Who's the turtle? Who's the turtle?" Michelangelo laughed as he danced on the couch.

"Crap" I said with a sigh. "Looks like it's your turn." I handed the controller to Donnie but he didin't take it.

"Have another go, Mel. That wasn't a fair game." Donnie looked at Michelangelo over my shoulder and frowned. "Mikey, you're supposed to teach someone how to play the game first."

Michelangelo stopped celebrating and smiled sheepishly. "O-oh yeah. Heh, sorry Mel."

"That's alright, dude. I think I know how to do it now." I clicked on a new game and smirked at him. "You're going down!"

Hours later and I'm amazed at the amount of fun I'm having. The three of us have been playing video games non-stop, and in that time I've really gotten to enjoy the company of Donnie and Mikey. It's crazy, but it feels like we've been friends for years. Mikey reminds me so much of Lizzy. I think that's why I've already developed a soft spot for him.

"Mikey! Don't let me win again! Damn it, dude, you're letting me win. Cut it out!"

Mikey and I stood side-by-side, pressing buttons as fast as our fingers could go. Donnie sat on the ground, cross-legged, laughing his ass off. Mikey keeps letting me win, and it's starting to get on my nerves. I don't wanna pity win!

"Mikey, knock it off! Quit letting me win. I hate it and it's pretty insulting!" I knocked his side gently with my hip. He snickered softly before purposefully losing the game we were playing.

"Screw you, dude!" I smacked him in the arm with my controller, as the word 'Winner' appeared on my half of the screen. "I keep telling ya not to let me win!"

He laughed loudly and bumped my shoulder with his. "Aw come on, Mel. You won that fair and square. Besides, you're just a girl. Thought you could use some help." He smiled cheekily, knowing that would get a good reaction outta me.

"I'll show you help!" I growled, tossing my controller aside and tackling him to the ground, making him laugh even harder. I pummelled his plastron playfully with my fists.

"Oh no! Please don't hurt me!" He said in a high pitched, mocking voice, followed by a girlish scream and even more laughing. "Ow, you're hurting me. Please help me, Donnie! Save me from this mean girl!"

Donnie was on his shell, clutching his sides as he laughed. "Sorry, Mikey, but you're on your own. I don't want to get hurt!" He said between laughs.

I lunged into him even harder, grunting and shoving. We rolled 'round the ground, laughing and yelling. Donnie was quick to join in on our wrestling match. Suddenly I was pinned down, Donnie holding me by my shoulders, while Mikey sat on top of me. Mikey wriggled his fingers in the air, grinning wickedly. My eyes widened when I realised was gonna happen.

"No, Mikey!" I tried yelling but it was too late…he began tickling me.

I struggled to get away but the two of them were strong. His fingers dug into my ribs, making me squirm and laugh. The pain was excruciating but I couldn't stop laughing. Damn, I hate being so ticklish. Seriously, the slightest touch and I'm a giggling mess.

"Please…s-stop…Mikey!" I gasped between laughs. "D-Donnie…help…I'm gonna die!"

Donnie chuckled as he stared down at me. "What's that Mel? I'm having trouble hearing you."

Bastard.

I kicked my legs wildly, the feeling of peeing my pants suddenly hitting me.

"Stop…I'm gonna wet myself!"

"Nice try, Mel" Mikey laughed as he continued his ticklish torture.

I was 'bout to scream again until another voice interrupted us.

"What in the world is going on here?"

The three of us froze and turned our heads to the right. April stood there staring at us with an amused grin on her face. Beside her was a tall dude with blue hair, and I'm assuming he's Casey, looking confused. Leonardo had his arms crossed, shaking his head with a smirk on his face. Raphael just looked angry, but then again, when does he not?

Well, this must be a good image; me being held down by one turtle while the other one straddles me…nothing awkward 'bout that.

Guess I got no choice but to play it cool. "Hiya, April" I started. "What ya doing?"

"Shouldn't I be asking you that question?" She said, her eyes flicking between the three of us.

"This isn't what it looks like!" Mikey held his hands up in surrender. "See, we were just…umm, well, we were…" He laughed nervously before looking at Donnie. "Donnie, tell them what we were doing."

Donnie seemed surprised by having the responsibility of making up an excuse put on him, but he managed to force a smile. "Oh, right, well what Mikey was trying to say was that, uh…we tripped! Yeah, we just tripped over the crease in the rug here and we were simply helping each other get back up." Donnie finished lamely, a bright blush spreading across his face. Mikey grinned and nodded eagerly like it was the best excuse he had ever heard, while I lay there, mentally face-palming. I thought Donnie was 'sposed to be the brains of the group!

April smiled. "Well that's good. Here I was thinking that the three of you were into some weird deviant sex routine. I know Mikey and Donnie are perverts, but I wasn't sure about you, Mel."

"Who do ya think thought of this position?" I smirked, deciding to play along. "Looks like we'll have to continue this later, boys. Meet me in my room, midnight." I clicked my tongue and winked at them, making them blush.

"Can you three flirt some other time? Food's getting' cold and I'm starvin'." Raphael said with a slight glare in our direction. He grabbed the plastic bag from Aprils hand and threw it down on the living room table. The three of us sat up straight just as everybody took a seat.

"Mmm," Mikey says, opening a carton of pad thai. "Awesome."

I shifted 'round till I was sitting next to him while Donnie pulls out a couple of sodas from the bag. As we dig in, April begins to introduce me to her boyfriend, Casey.

"Call me Mel," I said, shovelling a fork load of food into my gob.

"Huns' kid; Lil' Bitch of the Crimson Dragons," he said with bitterness to his voice. He narrowed his eyes, "Raph's told me all about you."

My eyes flicked to Raphael, who seemed to be avoiding eye contact with everyone in the room, before going back to Casey.

"You're bad news, kid. I swear, if you slip up even once, I'm gonna be the one sortin' you out."

My eyebrows shot up, "are you threatening me?"

"Maybe. I'm just sayin', I know how the Dragons work, so I'm gonna be keepin' a close eye on you, kid. So just watch yourself."

I placed my carton of pad thai on the ground in front of me. "Kay, now let me tell you something. Don't ever threaten me again, ya understand? If ya really understand how Dragons work, then ya would know that we don't respond well to threats, kay? You're the one that should be watching your back, not me."

He clenched his carton of food between his fingers. "Now you're threatening me?"

"Oh, I'm just warning ya, pal." I turned my attention to Raphael and frowned. "And where the hell do ya get off telling people my business!"

Raphael swallowed the food in his mouth before replying. "He had a right to know."

"No he didn't have a right to know! Nobody has a right to know 'cause it's _my_ business!"

"If you're a threat, then it is my business!" His food was now out of his hand.

I was on my feet now, getting more agitated by the second. "I ain't a threat, douchebag! So why don't ya just mind your own damn business!"

"Don't tell me ta mind my own business!" He too got to his feet, taking a step towards me. "This is my home and I say what goes!"

"You're accusing me of crap I ain't even done!"

"Ya may have not done anythin' yet, but ya will eventually." We were inches apart now. Raphael poked me in the chest. "Now if ya don't like us getting' involved in your life, then leave."

"Fine!" I snapped before walking away.

April shouted after me, "Mel! Don't leave. We can fix this."

"There ain't nothing to fix, O'Neil!"

I ran to my room to gather my things. April brought my bag over early this morning and I hadn't unpacked it yet so luckily I didn't have to waste time packing. Krillin tilted his head to the side as he watched me pace the room. I'm so friggin' angry. That stupid turtle! Who does he think he is!? Like I seriously need to put up with this sorta crap! Hell, I ran away from home multiple times for crap like this.

I yanked my hoody over my head, scooped up Krillin onto my shoulder, and left my room, suitcase in hand. I kept my head down as I passed the bickering group.

"Mel!" April shouted. "Please stay."

"And put up with this crap? I don't think so. I'm outta here."

"Let her go, April." Raphael said from behind me. "We're better off without scum like here messin' up the place! I say good riddance."

Scum?

SCUM!?

Ooh, I'll show him scum!

I dropped my bag and stomped over to the jackass. He folded his arms as he watched me approach, a smirk appearing on his face. Time he gets that smirk wiped offa his stupid, ugly face.

"Forget somethin', princess?"

I smiled, balling my hand into a fist. "Just this." I socked him right in the nose, making him stumble backwards. He tripped over his own two feet, falling flat on his ass. A satisfied smirk made itself to my face. "There, I'll be off now."

Walking away, a hand gripped my wrist. I glanced over my shoulder to see Donnie being the one holding me. He looked…sad? Nah, that can't be right. What would he be sad for?

"Don't leave, Mel." He said, his grip tightening.

Mikey jumped in front of me, gripping my shoulders. "Yeah, stay with us. We were having so much fun."

I looked away and squirmed outta their hold. "Sorry dudes, but I ain't gonna stay where I ain't wanted."

"But we want you to stay. Tell her guys! Tell her we want her to stay!"

I didn't know what to say. Why the hell are they so adamant that I stick 'round? They don't even know me that well. A lump had developed in my throat and I was finding it difficult to swallow.

"Of course we want her to stay." April said eagerly. "We want you to stay, Mel. And I know you want to stay as well."

My nails dug deep into my palms as I wished I could just get outta here. I had no idea they'd react this way. Like they actually care 'bout me. But they don't care. Nobody does. The only one that cared was Lizzy, but even she left me.

"I can't" I managed to say. "I just…need to leave."

I made a run for it, picking up my bag on the way to the door. I'm so confused. I just gotta get out and, I dunno, think 'bout this. I can't stay here. I just can't. I've been getting to close; letting my guard down. I can't let that happen.

"Mel!" April, Donnie, and Mikey yell after me.

I barely hear them as I sprint through the sewers, away from them.


	7. Down by the docks

"Stupid Raphael with his stupid fat mouth. I hate him so much. I wish he would jump offa the statue of liberty. Hell, I would pay to see that."

It was a gorgeous night, the moon huge in the sky. There was a bit of a chill in the air, a light breeze that ruffled my hair, and I pulled my hoody a little tighter 'round my body as I paced down by the docks, mumbling my hate for the hot headed turtle. Stupid douchebag's gotten me all worked up. If he had just kept his gigantic trap shut then none off this woulda happened.

It's probably for the best that I left anyway. It was scary how comfortable I was getting 'round them…well, some of them. I need to keep my distance from others from now on. I've gotten this far in life alone. I don't need nobody else along for the ride.

Krillin sat atop an old crate, watching as I paced, taking my frustration out on the poor pavement below my feet. He chirped, making me pause mid-step.

"What is it, Krillin?"

He chirped in response.

"Don't gimme that look. This was the right decision, kay? People should just learn to mind their own business."

Another chirp.

"What? I did not make a hasty decision 'cause of my bad temper! How could you even suggest that!?"

He tilted his head to the side and stuck his tongue out, making me sigh.

"Kay, maybe you're right. Guess my temper is pretty bad. But can ya blame me? I'm trying to forget my past and here's this stupid friggin turtle bringing it up again. Seriously, what the hell? Nah, I ain't putting up with that crap."

He chirped again.

"I know they were the only friends we had, but what do ya want me to do 'bout it?"

He thumped his tail.

"Talk to them? Dude, I can't show my face down there again! They probably don't even want me back. And what would I say anyway? That I'm sorry for being a bitch? That those few hours that I spent there were the best hours of my life? That I wanna come back 'cause I miss their company? Don't be ridiculous Krillin. I don't know where ya come up with this crap."

Krillin and I had nothing else to say to one another so I slumped to the ground, resting my back against the crate. I grabbed my bag and pulled out a small journal April gave me when I got here. Apparently I was 'sposed to write in it every day but I haven't been doing that. It'd be better just to write in it when something, I dunno, important happens. I've only written in this thing once, and I still don't get why I gotta do it. Hell, I don't have to do but here I am doing it willinging! Crap, what has happened to me?! Ah well, I have it out now, might as well write what's going on.

 _April 25th_

 _Hey…journal,_

 _This is my second shot at writing in ya, so…yeah. I dunno exactly why I'm doing this, or what I'm even 'sposed to write. I guess I'll just write 'bout what's happened today, kay?_

 _Let's see, um, I got kicked outta Aprils' place last night, so now I'm forced to stay with a couple of dudes. They're friends of Aprils, and they're the same age as me. They're names are Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello, and Michelangelo. April said it was for my own 'protection', 'cause I pissed off my so called 'father' and now he might be after me, but I know it's just so they could keep an eye on me. Well I don't need nobody to keep an eye on me. I can take care of myself; hell, I have been my entire life._

 _What was I writing 'bout? Oh yeah, the guys that I'm…I was staying with. I got stuck being babysat by Donatello and I was dreading it, but in the end he actually turned out to be pretty cool. The dude's a total dork. But he's a cool dork. He's a good guy; highly intelligent, very sweet…he's kinda cute too._

My eyes widened as I realised what I had just written and I quickly scribbled that last part out. Thank God no one was 'round to see the blush on my face.

 _Then there was Michelangelo…where do I start with him? I was forced into playing video games with him and Donnie earlier, and I'm glad that I did. He's totally awesome! He reminds me so much of Lizzy, it's unreal. I think that's why I have a soft spot for him. The dude is hilarious – a non-stop quote machine. He's really loud and loves to talk._

 _Leonardo…I'm not sure 'bout him yet. I haven't really spoken to him but he looks to be the leader of the group. I can see why too. He seems to be the calmest of all of them. From what I can tell though he seems like he has a real pole up his ass. He seems to be an all business, no nonsense kinda dude._

 _Then there's Raphael…Raphael. Even writing his name makes me furious! He's had it out for me ever since we met. The dude is a compete douchebag. I don't know how his brothers put up with him. He has a temper like nobody's business! He's rude, quick to anger, and nosey. Sure he might be sexy as hell but that doesn't change the fact that he has a crappy attitude._

Wait a minute…did I seriously just write that I thought he was sexy? Crap. First that thing 'bout Donnie, now Raph. What is wrong with me?! Must be those damn teenage hormones or some crap. Maybe I'm just tired, I mean, I haven't slept in three days.

I slammed my journal shut, not trusting myself to write anymore, and shoved it back into my bag. Before I zipped it back up, the screen lit up on my phone. I pulled it out and my heart skipped a beat as I noticed I had seventeen missed calls, twelve texts, and seven voicemails. Damn, I've never had this much activity on my phone before. With shaky fingers I dialled my voicemail first and held the phone up to my ear.

 _Mel, it's April. I know you're angry with Raph but could you please give me a call when you get this message?_

It went on to the next one.

 _Where are you, Mel? I went back to the shop, hoping you might be there but you weren't. Please call, we're worried about you._

They were worried 'bout me?

 _Mel! Pick up. Are you okay?_

Her voice was becoming more urgent with each message.

 _I'm going to call the police if you don't answer your phone!_

I couldn't help but smile at that. April certainly was a dramatic woman.

 _Amelia Fletcher, pick up your phone right now!_

The next one was from Donnie.

 _Hi, Mel, it's Donatello. Listen, Mikey, April and I are really worried about you. The city is dangerous, Mel, especially at night. And there are people out there that want to hurt you. You're not hurt are you? I would hate to find out that something had happened you. The three of us are going to keep searching for you, Tinker Bell. Even if it takes all night._

A tear slid down my cheek as his message ended. He wanted to make sure I was alright. I can barely remember the last time somebody cared enough to check up on me, let alone search for me in the middle of the night.

The next message begins to play and Mikey's' voice fills my ears.

 _Mikey here! You can't hide from a ninja, Mel. I'm going to find you, take you back to the lair, and tie you to my bed so you can't escape again! And one more thing- there you are! I found you! Wait there, Mel, I'm coming dow-AHHHHHHHH!_

There was a loud crash and groan of pain.

 _I'm okay! Looks like it wasn't you after all. Heh heh, oops._

I rolled my eyes with a smile as his message ended. I got to my feet and stretched. Time I give them a call and let them know I'm alright. Krillin hopped off the crate and followed me onto the wooden pier. I dialled Aprils' number, and with a held breath, put it up to my ear. Two rings later and April was on the other end of the line.

 _Mel, where have you been?! Damn it, why haven't you picked up your phone? Do you know how worried I've been? I pictured finding you dead in an alley somewhere!_

I'd never heard April sound so angry before.

"I had my phone in my bag and didn't hear it ring. I'm sorry; I didn't think ya'd be worried."

 _Not worried? For Heaven sakes, Mel, how could you even think we wouldn't be worried!? Of course we were!_

She sighed and there was a minute long pause before she spoke again.

 _Are you hurt?_

"Nah, I'm fine."

 _Good, that's good. I- Mikey, stop that! I'm talking to her right now._

 _What's she saying? What's she saying? Did she mention me?_

I smiled when I heard Mikey shouting in the background. April let outta sound of frustration.

 _Mikey, please. Mel, where are you? I'm going to come pick you up._

"I'm down by the docks. Listen, April…I don't-" I stopped mid-sentence when the pier beneath my feet began to shake. One of the wooden pillars holding the pier up broke in half, quickly followed by the other one. I stumbled forward but quickly regained my balance. Krillin crawled up my leg and into my hoody as I turned on my heel and made a run for it. Something cold wrapped 'round my ankle, tripping me, and causing my phone to fly outta my hand. I screamed before being dragged under the freezing cold water, water quickly filling my mouth. Once I was completely under the water's surface, I felt a powerful grasping on my legs, my arms…everywhere! It felt like a couple of metal tentacles had wrapped themselves 'round my body and were trying to squeeze me to death. The 'tentacles' tightened and something sharp cut into my clothes and into my skin. I struggled to free myself, but the panic I felt was overwhelming.

I looked 'round in fear but the water was completely black. I couldn't see a thing. I felt myself being dragged deeper. My lungs burned as they begged for air. I couldn't hold my breath much longer. I struggled more and more, just wanting to swim back up for air, but this things hold was too strong. My lungs gave one final, painful scream for air before they filled with water. I knew now that I was gonna die. My vision blurred and my body went limp. I gave up struggling and allowed myself to be pulled down deeper into the murky water. But that's when some sorta miracle happened. I felt the tentacles being torn from my body, and I was left floating. Distorted noises could be heard before all sounded faded away completely. My eyes finally closed and all I could feel was an ice cold hand wrap 'round my wrist.


	8. The story of Mel

Raphael's POV

I sprinted across the rooftops, tryin' ta blow off steam. Let's just say I ain't exactly wanted back at the lair right now. They were all mad at me for makin' that scary chick leave. They ain't listenin' when I tell 'em it wasn't my fault that she left. She stormed out 'cause she couldn't face the truth, and how in the shell is that my fault?! I dunno why they care about her so much anyway. What makes her so special? The chick is rude, hot-headed, and stubborn…so why can't I get her outta my head? I don't wanna think about her, but I can't help it. That girl is somethin' else. It's so annoyin'.

I stopped on one of the buildings to take a breather. I wiped the sweat of my brow as I stood on the edge of the buildin', overlookin' the docks. That's when I saw her. I leant over the edge to get a better look. So this is where she's been hidin' out. Mel got to her feet and began pacin' up and down the pier with her phone to her ear, that creepy lookin' lizard trailin' behind her like a dog.

Then things took a turn for the worse. I watched in silence as the pier beneath her feet started ta give way. With a held breath, I watched as Mel tried ta regain her footin' and make a run for it. But it was too late. I was already at the edge of the docks by the time she completely disappeared beneath the water. I dove inta the water after her; shell, I didn't even hesitate. I couldn't see nothin' in this water, it was so dark, but Mel was in trouble and I had ta save her. I kept swimmin' deeper and deeper 'til I saw somethin' glistenin' way off inta the distance. Getting' closer I saw a flash of somethin' bright pink.

That's gotta be Mel!

She was bein' dragged down by somethin'…somethin' mechanic. What the shell was that? Some sorta robot it looked like. I pulled out my Sais and dug into the sides of the machine, makin' it release its hold on Mel. I kept stabbin' my Sais inta it 'til I was sure it wouldn't be movin' again. Takin' a closer look at it, I growled low in my throat as I saw the Foot symbol painted on the side. What the shell is this doin' out here? Why did it attack Mel? I'm gonna have ta tell Don about this.

Slippin' my Sais back inta my belt, I grabbed hold of Mels' wrist and dragged her up ta the surface. She was unconscious by the time we resurfaced, and her face was even paler than usual. I had ta get her back ta dry land, NOW! I wrapped my arm around her waist and began ta sidestroke back ta the docks. I dragged her outta the water with ease and laid her on the pavement. Her pet lizard crawled outta the pocket of her hoody and shook the water off. He looked up at me and stuck his tongue out. Man, I ain't got time for this! If she was gonna survive I had ta help her now. I flicked the lizard from her body and leant over her. Her skin was freezin' and she wasn't breathin'. Great, now I'm gonna have ta do that CPR thing. How do ya do that again? Come on, think. What did Donnie tell ya ta do? Oh wait, I got it!

I put both my hands on her chest and started pushin' down. I kept pushin' on her chest but nothin' was happenin'. I quit doin' that and stared at her face. Man, I hope this works. I tiled her chin up and placed my mouth on hers and blew. Nothin'. I did the same steps three times before it actually worked. With a jerk, Mel spat out the water in her lungs. She coughed and spluttered before gaspin' for air. I couldn't help but feel completely relieved knowing that'd she was gonna be just fine.

Mels' eyelids fluttered open but she quickly shut them again. Groanin', she rubbed her eyes, smearin' her already drippin' eye make-up, before tryin' ta sit up. I placed my hand on her back and she jumped. She stared at me with wide-eyes, her mouth hangin' open in a slight 'O' shape.

"R-Raphael? W-what are y-ya doing here?"

She winced as she spoke and her body shook like crazy.

"I saw ya drownin' so I came ta help."

She frowned liked she didn't understand what I was talkin' about, and then shook her head side-ta-side. "You're an idiot, Raphael."

My mouth fell open before quickly turnin' inta a scowl. "I just save your life and you're callin' me an idiot?!"

She stared at me with a blank expression. "Exactly. Ya s-saved my life. D-don't ya know y-ya could've gotten hurt in the p-process?"

Wait…she was worried about my safety? That's a surprise. Why does hearin' her say that make me feel good?

"W-why'd ya do it?"

I stared inta her eyes. Were they always so green? Focus, Raph! I forced myself ta look away as I shrugged. "Damned if I know."

It was silent between the both of us 'til she spoke again.

"W-whatever your motives…I t-thank you f-for saving my life."

"Don't mention it."

Mel sat there, shiverin', her arms wrapped tightly around her body. I looked around for somethin' to cover her with. Her bag sat over by an old crate. There's gotta be somethin' in there to help warm her up. I went to grab her bag, Mel watching as I did so, and began rummagin' through her stuff.

"H-hey! What t-the hell are y-ya doin'?! Quit rifling through m-my things!"

She grabbed the back of my shell and tried shovin' me outta the way, but she was too weak. "Relax, princess. I ain't interested in anythin' else except for somethin' warm for ya ta cover yourself with."

As I was searchin', I found a photograph of two girls. One girl was a little older than the other. One girl had long raven black hair; the other had short blonde curls. They both were pullin' a funny face in the picture. I pulled it out and waved it in the air.

"Who are these girls?"

Mels eyes widened and she lunged at me, tryin' ta rip the photo outta my hand. I placed my free hand on her head and held her back, keepin' the photo way outta her reach.

"Give t-that back, R-Raphael!"

"Just tell me who they are."

"Why does it m-matter?!"

"Ya want it back, don'tcha?"

She slapped my hand away and glared at me. "Fine. It's a p-picture o-of me and my s-sister. Happy now?"

I held the photo in two hands and stared at the two girls. I never woulda taken them for sisters. Mels sister had short, blonde curly hair tied up in pigtails on either side of her head, heaps of freckles across her chubby cheeks, and a dark tan usually found on Californian girls. Mel was the exact opposite. She wasn't wearin' any makeup at the time. Her hair was pure black, and a lot longer than it was now. Her skin was really pale and clear. Her mouth was open in the photo, lettin' me see the gap between her two front teeth, which, in a strange way, was actually kinda sexy. She was smilin' too, which is somethin' I hadn't seen yet.

Gotta admit…she sure was a knockout.

"So is she still in California or what?" I asked, never takin' my eyes off the photo.

"No, she's dead." Mel said in a bitter voice.

My head shot up. The picture slipped from my hands as I watched Mel with a stunned expression. Shell, I had no idea. Is this why she was angry all the time?

"Mel…I'm sorry. I didn't know-"

"It's fine."

She cut me off and picked up the photo. I could see her tryin' not ta cry as she traced her sisters face with her thumb. I felt a tightenin' in my chest and had ta look away. I dunno what I'd do if I'd lost one of my brothers. I'd probably hate the world too. Clearin' my throat, I got back ta lookin' for something warm for her. I pulled out a thin jacket and draped it over her shoulders. Mel still shook, but now I ain't sure if it was from the cold or that she was cryin'.

"It's all m-my fault." Mel whispered. "S-she died 'cause o-of me."

My eyes widened at her words. How could she say somethin' like that?! I gripped her shoulders and she looked up at me with big, watery eyes. "Don't say that, Mel. I'm sure it wasn't your fault."

She bit her bottom lip, shakin' her head side-to-side. "It was. If I-I hadn't g-gotten so angry w-with her, then she'd still b-be here."

I rubbed my hands up and down her arms, tryin' ta warm her up, as I spoke. "Tell me what happened, Mel."

She shuddered, clutching the photo between her fingers. "It happened a year ago. We got into a fight 'bout me b-being in a gang. She w-wouldn't listen when I t-told her that I was doing it 'cause I had to. She f-feared for me, for my life. But I h-had to join the Crimson Dragons! It was the o-only way I could protect her!"

She began to cry openly now. I shifted awkwardly and looked away. What the shell am I 'sposed ta do now? I ain't good with cryin', especially from girls. Where's Donnie when ya need him?! I rubbed the back of my neck before grabbin' her shoulders and pullin' her inta a hug. She froze for a second before wrappin' her arms around my body and pressin' her face against my chest. I went rigid at the contact but forced myself to relax. Wrappin' my arms around her, I told her to continue her story.

"Things started getting outta hand real quick. My sister, Lizzy by the way, never got angry, until that day. She started s-screaming her head off 'bout how I had changed and she didn't like me that way. I went off at her, telling her that she was naïve and that she n-needed to grow up. Lizzy told me that she d-didn't even know who I was anymore; that she hated who I had become and wanted the old Mel back, and if I didn't change then she didn't wanna be my sister anymore. Well I just snapped and told her that was fine. I didn't need to change and I wasn't gonna change. I told her if she didn't want me as a sister then she could just get the hell out and find someone better. And she said okay, and then I said something horrible."

I swallowed the lump in my throat, thinkin' about all the fights Leo and I have had that were similar, before telling her to go on.

"I t-told her I'd be glad to see the back of her; that she was only a burden." She broke down completely, tightenin' her hold on me.

Ouch, that's pretty rough. "What else happened, Mel?"

"W-well, we both said that we hated each other and Lizzy just ran outta the house, crying. I went to my room to try and cool off, ya know? Then an hour went by and Lizzy didn't come home, or even call. I was freaking out so I went l-looking for her. I searched for hours but couldn't find her. J-just as I was 'bout to see if she went home…I-I found her. She was left, dumped in alley, behind a couple of dumpsters…with a bullet in her head."

Mel cried inta my chest and I could do was hold her even tighter, rubbin' her back ta try and console her. I can't believe what I just heard. No wonder Mel was the way she was. She's been carryin' the guilt of her sister's death for over a year, without no one ta talk to. I couldn't even imagine losin' one of my bros; but even if I did we'd still have each other. Mel had no one…except for me. She opened up and told me somethin' personal, the least I could do was be here for her in her time of need.

Once she had calmed down a little I tilted her head up. She avoided eye contact with me, finding the ground to be more interestin'.

"Mel, I had no idea. I'm sorry ya had ta go through somethin' like that. I know ya have been blamin' yaself for her death, but it's really not your fault."

"But-"

"Will ya just shut up and listen?" She bit her lip and I wiped a tear from her cheek with my thumb. "It's not your fault. Families fight all the time. Believe me, I know. Leo and I fight just about every day. The stuff we say to each other…well, it gets pretty nasty."

"Yeah, but at least ya get to make up afterwards." She stared inta my eyes now and I couldn't but feel my heart skip a beat. "My sister d-died thinking I hated her. But I don't hate her. I never once hated her. She was my baby sister. I loved her…so much."

"I know ya did, and I know Lizzy knew that as well."

She sniffed and rubbed her eye quickly. "Y-ya really think she knew how much I loved her?"

"Ya'd have ta be an idiot not ta see that." I smiled slightly.

Mel nodded and wiped her eyes with the palms of her hands, smearin' her eye makeup all over her cheeks. I shook my head and ripped off a piece of her wet hoody.

"W-what are ya doing?" She glanced at the material in my hands as I scrunched it inta a ball. I held her chin between my two fingers and wiped the mess off her face.

"Ya look like crap."

"Cut me some slack, dude. I mean, I did almost drown." The side of her mouth twitched upwards into a tiny smile.

I shook my head, smirkin'. I noticed Mel starin' at me as I worked. "What are ya starin' at?"

"Nothing, just thinking."

"About what?"

"You."

My hand froze and I glanced at her. "What about me?"

"Well…" A red tinge covered her cheeks. Was she…blushin'? "…I was just thinking 'bout how sweet you're being to me. I've been so rude to ya and yet you're man enough to put that aside and take care of me." She looked inta my eyes and smiled warmly, makin' my heart speed up. "I guess I just wanna thank ya for being so nice to me. I know I don't deserve it."

I cleared my throat and smirked. "Don't mention it, Mel. Ya'd have ta be a pretty big douchebag ta leave a girl alone in her time of need. Besides, I don't blame ya for getting' mad with me. I haven't exactly been easy on ya."

"Eh, that's alright. You're not the first person to distrust me. I mean, the way I look got people running in the other direction."

"Yeah well, I ain't exactly in a position ta judge someone on looks. I mean look at me."

"There's nothing wrong with the way ya look, Raph." She said gently.

I blinked. "Ya do know I'm a giant, talkin' turtle, right?"

"I do." She smiled. "But my statement still stands."

I shifted uncomfortably, feelin' a little embarrassed by her compliment. I finished wipin' the last bit of makeup from her face and tossed the cloth aside.

"Oh crap," Mel groaned and rubbed her face.

"What's the matter?"

"I feel so naked without my makeup on."

"I dunno why ya wear it anyway. I think ya look a lot better without it."

The words were outta my mouth before I could stop 'em. My face felt warm and I had ta look away. It was true though; she did look a lot better without all that gunk on her face. Without it she looked younger, innocent…beautiful.

"Really?" She looked up at me surprised, blushin'.

I rubbed the back of my neck, starin' at the ground, and nodded. Ok, this was gettin' kinda awkward for me now. I coughed and got ta my feet. "We should probably be gettin' back. April and my bros have been wonderin' where ya are."

I looked down at her, waitin' for her ta get up but she stayed sittin'. "Ya comin' or what?"

"Do ya think they'll want me back? I mean, I did storm outta there and I don't wanna be a burden or nothing."

"You're not a burden, Mel. We're happy ta have ya livin' with us."

She stared at me for a few seconds before breakin' out inta a smile; one that showed the gap between her teeth. I smiled back and helped her ta her feet.

"Let's get ya home."

We dropped down the nearest manhole cover and walked side-by-side. I glanced at her from the corner of my eye, then back ahead.

"Mel…could I ask ya somethin'? Somethin' personal?"

"Kay, shoot."

"Why did ya join the Crimson Dragons in the first place?"

I felt her tense up but she answered anyway. "I was an idiot. The place I grew up was a complete hellhole. Nothing but crime, everywhere ya went. Ya actually feared for ya life walking out at night. Lizzy was terrified, especially when our Mum would bring men over to the house. They used to stare at us and it really gave me the creeps. One night we were asleep and I heard the door opening. I thought Lizzy was going somewhere but it wasn't her. It was one of Mums one night stands. He stood at the side of Lizzys' bed and reached out to touch her face, but I wasn't having none of that."

Her voice was hard and cold and her eyes darkened. My hands were balled inta fists by my side as I listened to her story. How in the shell could her Mum let that happen?!

"I pulled out the crowbar I kept beneath my bed and threatened to whack him with it if he didn't back off. He came towards me next but before he could try something, Mum had burst into our room and dragged him out. We had to lock our bedroom from that night on. For some reason though, I still couldn't get to sleep. I thought it was 'cause I felt like I was keeping an eye on Lizzy, but I was only fooling myself. Truthfully, I was terrified to go to sleep. Hell, I still am."

"So when did ya sleep?"

She smirked. "I used to fall asleep in class every day. For that I got sent to the principal's office quite a bit. Now I can only sleep when other people are with me. It's stupid, I know. But anyway, I knew I couldn't protect my sister from creepos like that; I needed help. Then my 'Dad' came 'round for his once a year visit and, well, offered me leadership of a gang. He said I'd be able to keep my family safe, and like an idiot I jumped at the offer. Pretty stupid, huh?"

"No." I shook my head. "It wasn't stupid at all. I'd do anythin' ta protect my family too."

The back of our hands brushed together, and as corny as it sounds, I swore I felt sparks. I licked my lips as I stared at her hand. I wanted ta reach and hold it. Shell, what is wrong with me?! Get a grip, Raphael.

"So, why'd ya quit the gang?"

I continued ta walk but when I didn't feel her next ta me anymore, I turned back. She stood still, fire burnin' in her eyes. Uh-oh. Wrong question.

"I quit when I found out." Her voice was low and dangerous.

I was almost too nervous ta ask but I was curious now. "Found out what?"

"When I found out that they were the ones' that killed Lizzy."

My eyes widened. No way! "What?"

"The Crimson Dragons were the ones that killed my baby sister. I was so friggin' pissed! I went straight to our warehouse only to find it empty. Turns out they all ran after killing her. Pfft, bunch of cowards. I swear, Raphael, I was gonna kill 'em all for what they did."

She started to pace, shakin' her head side-to-side. "Mum didn't seem to care though. No, she didn't care 'bout us at all. Why am I even surprised by that? Nothing we did ever got her attention."

I watched her pace. She was ventin' now; lettin' all her thoughts just spill out. And I let her. She needed ta get this stuff off her chest. Maybe she'll feel better after she does this.

"And people wonder why I'm a bitch. Well ya wanna know why I am the way I am? Fine, I'll tell ya. I'm a bitch 'cause it was the only way to get her to notice me! I tried being the good daughter, but that sure as hell wasn't enough! Then after Lizzy died, I had no one to talk to, so I started lashing out, and guess what? She hated me even more! But that's okay, 'cause she actually started paying attention. And any attention was better than none. Oh my God, how sick does that sound?! I just wanted her to care 'bout something. 'Bout me and what I was doing, even if it was bad!"

She looked over at me with tears runnin' down her cheeks, pantin' slightly. We stood there for ages until a look of shock crossed her face.

"I'm sorry, Raph. I don't know what came over me. I just…I mean-"

"Mel, it's ok." I interrupted her. "Ya needed ta vent. I get it."

She looked away, like she was ashamed of herself. "Lizzy kept a diary. After she died I carried it 'round with me, but I never read it. Well…'til a month ago. It was all 'bout me. Pages and pages 'bout how she wanted me to quit the gang. That it had made me hard, and how I was better off without it. The last few words of her diary were the hardest to read. It was written the day she died. I still remember exactly what she wrote."

"What'd she write?"

"She wrote: _Amelia isn't the same person anymore. She's changed. She puts on this tough act, thinking she's going to protect me that way, but I don't need protecting. What I need is my big sister back. I'm afraid that if she continues down this path, then she'll get hurt. That's the last thing I want to happen._

 _All I want is for Mel to smile again, like she used to. I want her to let her guard down and have fun. People aren't as bad as she thinks they are! People try to get close to her but she keeps pushing them away. Old Mel would have never done that. And that's what I want. I want old Mel back…Amelia. My big sister._

 _I just want her to be happy again."_

She wiped her eyes and looked at the ground. "I failed her, Raphael. The one thing she wanted from me and I couldn't give it to her."

"Then give it ta her now."

She looked at me with confusion. "What?"

"Just 'cause she's gone doesn't mean it's too late ta make it up ta her."

"But, I dunno how to change."

I shook my head. "Ya don't have ta change, Mel. Ya just need to drop the act."

"I don't understand."

I face-palmed. "Ya know, for a smart girl, you're pretty slow." Mel frowned but stayed quiet. "Quit tryin' ta act tough. Let your guard down. The way ya are with Mikey and Don…with me now. That's the real Mel. The one Lizzy was talkin' about."

"But, I-"

"Quit makin' excuses, Mel!" I growled, getting' more and more irritated by her constant 'buts'. "I'll make it simple for ya; either drop the scary chick act and start actin' like Amelia the big sister that Lizzy loved, or keep on livin' as Mel, Lil' Bitch of the Crimson Dragons and end up dyin' alone. It's your choice!"

She stared at me with a blank expression. I folded my arms and glared at her. I know she probably didn't like that I snapped at her, but frankly I don't care about that. She walked towards and stopped 'til I could feel heat radiatin' from her body. Then she did something I wasn't epectin'. She wrapped her arms around my neck and kissed my cheek. My body went rigid, the light touch of lips on my skin made my heart race.

"W-what the shell was that for?"

Did I just stutter?

"You're just a big softie under this hard shell, aren't ya?" I didn't see her but I could hear the smile in her voice.

"Don't be stupid, Mel, I am not! And if ya tell anyone about this, I'll kick your butt." I said, smirkin'.

We pulled away and smiled. "Thanks, Raph."

"For what?"

"Everything." She said simply before walking away.

I watched her for a few minutes before shakin' my head and chasin' after her.


	9. Memories (Part 1)

_May 1st_

 _It's been a week since I've last written. A week since I fell to pieces in front of Raph. I still can't believe I said all that crap to him. I'd never told anybody that stuff before. It did feel nice getting it offa my chest though. I just didn't think it'd be Raph to get me to spill my guts. Hell, I still got no idea why he even listened, or cared enough to take care of me. I ain't complaining though. I'm glad that I got to see that side of him. The dudes a lot sweeter when he lets his guard down. The two of us can actually stand being 'round each other now, which is cool. We watch wrestling on TV together every night, sometimes we play video games, and once he even let me help fix his awesome motorcycle! Though neither of us has spoken 'bout that night. It'd be too awkward. I think we've both had our fair share of sappy moments._

 _Mikey and Donnie treat me as if I'm the best thing ever. They always want my attention and opinion. I ain't never had that much attention before, but it feels damn good. I actually feel important, ya know? Like I'm wanted._

 _I still dunno Leo very well. He just laid outta crap load of rules for me to follow as soon as I got back to the lair. The dudes such a buzzkill. Raph wasn't kidding 'bout their fights either. They can get pretty viscous. Leo seems to nit-pick everything Raph does. The two have some serious issues. But I suppose it ain't easy being the leader so I gotta give Leo credit for that. He's just a perfectionist I guess._

 _Well, now for the real reason why I'm writing. Raphael was right. It's time for me to drop the act. I've spent 24/7 with these guys and, well…I think I can really trust them. I care for them. Crazy right? And now it's time I show them that I care._

 _I no longer wanna be Mel, leader of the Crimson Dragons. No, I dont wanna be that at all._

 _Today's the day I change._

I slipped my journal back into my drawer and picked up the picture frame I kept on my desk. Behind the glass was a photo that was taken Christmas Eve. Lizzy and I stood next to each other, while our friends, Noah and Joel stood behind us, big smiles on all our faces. I couldn't help but smile as I remembered the day it was taken.

 _*Flashback*_

 _"I can't believe I let ya talk me into wearing this stupid outfit."_

 _I readjusted the antlers that sat on my head with one hand as Lizzy and I sprinted down the sidewalk. It was Christmas Eve, and the two of us were left to celebrate the holidays alone, as usual._

 _Lizzy giggled, hoisting the small velvet sack further onto her shoulder, and glanced over her shoulder. "It's not stupid, it's cute."_

 _I rolled my eyes and scoffed. "Ya know I don't do 'cute', Liz."_

 _"Yeah, but you owed me."_

 _"For what?"_

 _"For dragging me to that stinky petting zoo." Lizzy stuck out her tongue with a grimace._

 _"I thought ya had fun!"_

 _"Yeah, if you think getting humped by a deer is fun!"_

 _I laughed at the memory at Lizzy standing by the fence, totally minding her own business, when this huge deer comes up behind her and…tries making her his lady. The look on her face was priceless! I think she actually cried when she couldn't get him off._

 _Man that was an awesome day._

 _"Good thing ya weren't wearing that outfit then." I smirked._

 _She looked down at her reindeer costume and blushed. "Shut up."_

 _We 'rounded the corner before finally stopping in front of an old worn-out building, sitting in a bare, unenclosed lot. The roof was weather beaten and covered in moss. The stairs leading up to the porch were creaky and unstable; one wrong step and your foot would break straight through the crappy wood. The whole place screamed: Misery._

 _This place hardly ever got any visitors. Of course, traffic still zoomed by on a daily basis but it was rare for one of those vehicles to actually pull over here._

 _Leaning against the handrail of the stairs, stood the Ballantine brothers: Noah and Joel. The brothers came from a wealthy family; and when I say wealthy…hell, they made Croesus look like a poor man. However, they never acted like they were rich. They acted as if they were just like everybody else; a couple a average, working class Joes. Noah was the first to notice us approaching, as his face lit up and he waved us over eagerly._

 _"You made it!" Noah wrapped his arms 'round the both of us when we reached them._

 _"What took you guys so long?" Joel pushed himself off the rail and gave us each a one-armed hug._

 _"Amelia wouldn't put her costume on." Lizzy placed her hands on her hips, shaking her head in disapproval._

 _"Well excuse me for not wanting to dress up like a reindeer. I mean, look at this thing." I twirled, showing my full costume. "It ain't got sleeves, leggings; practically no protection from winter whatsoever! I'm freezing my ass off over here!"_

 _Joel wrapped his arms 'round my waist. "I can help with that, baby."_

 _I elbowed him in the gut, making him let go. He simply laughed and blew me a kiss._

 _"I think you guys look awesome. You make an adorable reindeer, Lizzy," Noah grinned, his eyes lingering, a little too long for my liking, on my baby sister._

 _Lizzy giggled and took hold of Noahs hands. "That's the look I was going for! You make a very handsome Santa, Noah."_

 _Noah blushed and looked down at the ground. I shook my head, smirking, before looking over at Joel, who, despite our agreement, was not wearing a costume. He still wore his usual attire that consisted of black jeans, white button-up shirt, and a tie. The only thing different was the candy striped waistcoat he was wearing._

 _"And what the hell have you come as?"_

 _Joel straightened his tie and smirked. "Isn't it obvious? I'm Santa's manager."_

 _"Santa's manager?" I cocked my brow._

 _"That's what I said. Who do you think gets Mr Clause to where he needs to be? It's my responsibility to make sure he gets where he needs to be on time."_

 _I shook my head with a laugh. "You're such a douche."_

 _He had a look of mock offence on his face before pulling out a pen and paper from his back pocket. "That's it, Miss Fletcher. You are now on the naughty list."_

 _"Oh, bite me, Ballantine."_

 _"Happy too, Fletcher," Joel whispered in my ear, making me shiver._

 _Lizzy and Noah looked at each other and grinned. "Would you two like to be left alone?"_

 _I rolled my eyes, though I was smiling, and nodded my head in the direction of the stairs. "Come on, guys. Let's give these kids a Christmas."_

 _"I can't wait to see the look on everyone's faces." Lizzy grinned, carefully making her way up the stairs._

 _We pushed open the oak door and stepped inside. Christmas was the only time of the year when this place felt truly alive. Multi-coloured lights hung from the beams; doorframes were lined with tinsel; mistletoe hung in the doorway from the hall to the living room; and placed in the corner was a beautiful Christmas tree, decorated with balls, ribbons, tinsel, and a gorgeous star on top._

 _Mrs Hemsworth, the owner, greeted us at the door. "Amelia, Lizzy, Noah, Joel. How nice of you to visit us during the holidays. The kids will be-"_

 _She was cut off as the pounding of numerous feet 'rounded the corner. Mrs Hemsworth just had enough time to move outta the way as the four of us were swarmed by children. We greeted them all as enthusiastically as they did us._

 _Every child shouted excitedly, trying to get their story heard. Jenny was showing off a beautiful flower she had picked earlier while Kevin was lifting up his shirt to brag 'bout the awesome scar he got after falling outta a tree. After a few more minutes of excited chattering, it was time to calm them down._

 _"Alright my little dudes and dudettes, time to pop a chill pill and chillax, kay?" The kids giggled but quickly became silent._

 _Noah stepped forward with a huge grin and the childrens' faces lit up. "HO HO HO, MERRY CHRISTMAS LITTLE ONES!"_

 _The kids cheered and clapped in excitement._

 _Noah dropped the sack he was carrying and took the one from Lizzy's hand, plopping it down beside the other one. "Well, well, well…" Noah said, trying his hardest to make his voice sound Santa-ish...is that even a word? "Perhaps you nice boys and girls could help me with something."_

 _"With what, Santa?" Caitlin, a seven year old brunette, asked shyly._

 _"Well you see, Vixen and Cupid here-" Noah gestured to Lizzy and I "-got a little bit lost in their travels. And I have two very heavy sacks of presents that need delivering before the night is over. Do you think you'd be able to help us find the place that we're looking for?"_

 _The kids looked at the presents with disappointment after hearing they weren't for them. One boy, Declan, stepped forward, still staring at the gifts._

 _"I'm pretty good at directing, Mr Santa, sir."_

 _Noah smiled down at Declan, resting his hands on his hips. "Is that so? Well then, perhaps you could tell me where 'Open Arms Orphanage' is?"_

 _Declans face brightened. "That's where we are right now, sir."_

 _Noah stepped back with a look of mock surprise on his face. "It is?"_

 _The children simultaneously nodded their heads in excitement._

 _"Well silly me! Boy, I must be as red as Rudolph's nose right now! If that's the case, then I guess all these presents are for all of you!" Noah emptied the gifts onto the floor._

 _The kids jumped and squealed, cheered and clapped before running aimlessly 'round the pile of gifts, all calling dibsies on the presents they want._

 _"BUT!"_

 _Noah said loud enough so he could be heard over the excited murmurs. "You all have to wait until tomorrow morning to open them!"_

 _There were some groans of disappointment but they still complied without complaints. The children helped Noah, Joel and Lizzy carry the presents into the living room and place them neatly under the tree 'til Christmas morning. Just as I was 'bout to follow them, I noticed Gracie sitting alone on the stairs that lead to the second floor._

 _Gracie was a beautiful ten year old girl, with long red hair and freckles; she also wore braces, making her afraid to crack a smile._

 _"Is something bothering ya, kiddo?" I asked, sitting down beside her._

 _She shook her head and hid her face._

 _"Gracie," I pressed, leaning in closer to the young girl. "Ya know ya can talk to me 'bout anything, right? Friends tell each other everything."_

 _Gracie sighed and looked up with me, holding out her pinkie finger. "Promise you won't tell?"_

 _"Promise," I smiled, wrapping my finger 'round hers._

 _She looked 'round wildly before moving in closer to me and whispering, "Kurt Lebrowski. He makes fun of me all the time. He makes fun of me for wearing braces and calls me mean names, like Brace-Face, Metal-Mouth, and Train-Tracks." She started to sniffle and I wrapped my arms 'round her shoulders._

 _"Let me ask ya something. Is Kurt Lebrowski smart?"_

 _Gracie seemed to think 'bout it for a moment before shaking her head. "No, not really. He's pretty dumb."_

 _"Is he pretty?"_

 _She made a look of disgust as she shook her head violently._

 _"Not even a little bit. He hasn't got a lot of hair and his face is all scrunched up, like this." She squished the sides of her face to show me what he looked like._

 _"Ya see? You're way prettier than him," I said, tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear. "People make fun of my teeth as well, ya know."_

 _"They do?"_

 _"They do. See, check out this gap I got," I smiled, letting her see my gap._

 _"That's not so bad. Why would people laugh at you?"_

 _"I dunno, Gracie. There are some people in the world who just like to hurt other peoples' feelings; like Kurt Lebrowski. But let me tell ya a secret. People only make of ya 'cause they're jealous."_

 _"Jealous?" She stared up me with confusion._

 _"That's right. Now, can I get a smile?"_

 _Gracie looked away bashfully before glancing back at me. Her lips pulled back into a grimace. I gave her a look and she sighed before grinning._

 _"Oh my God! That is one of the most beautiful smiles I ever seen!"_

 _Her cheeks turned a vibrant red, "r-really?"_

 _"Really. Braces or no braces, ain't no one can beat that smile." I smiled, "I wanna hear ya say it, 'I'm beautiful'."_

 _"You're beautiful, Mel." I laughed and shook my head._

 _"No, say that you're beautiful."_

 _"I did tell you you were beautiful."_

 _"Gracie."_

 _"I'm beautiful," she said timidly._

 _"And smart."_

 _"And smart."_

 _"And I don't care what those haters think."_

 _"And I don't care what those haters think."_

 _"Now say it all together."_

 _"I'm beautiful and smart and I don't care what those haters think." Gracie stared at the ground shyly._

 _"That's the best ya got? Shout it loud and proud, baby girl!"_

 _She took a deep breath before shouting at the top of her lungs, "I'M BEAUTIFUL AND SMART AND DON'T CARE WHAT THOSE HATERS THINK!"_

 _"Thatta girl!" I praised, making her smile broadly. "Thank you, Gracie. Ya just made my Christmas."_

 _Gracie shook her head. "No, thank you, Amelia." She gave me a tight hug. "I love you, Mel."_

 _Feeling deeply touched, I returned the hug. "I love you too, Gracie."_

 _After we pulled away I led Gracie into the living room to join the others, only to stop dead in my tracks at the sight. Lizzy had climbed to the top of the Christmas tree, clutching onto it for dear life; Noah was patting himself down, screaming as the bottom of his coat had somehow managed to catch fire; Joel was on his hands and knees with Dylan sitting on his back, parading him 'round the room like a horse; and all the other children were either laughing or screaming._

 _"What in Satan's Hell is going on here?"_

 _The room froze for a quick second before breaking out into a riot again. Noah was screaming 'my coat, my coat!' Lizzy was shrieking 'mouse, mouse!' Joel kept quiet but the look on his face was enough to let me know exactly how he felt 'bout the situation._

 _I leave the room for two minutes and all hell breaks loose!_

 _"All right, quiet down everyone!"_

 _The kids stop their clamouring as I made my way over to Noah. I rip off his Santa coat and throw it to the ground, quickly stomping out the small flame. I then lift Dylan from Joels' back and help Joel to his feet. Now, Lizzy. The mouse she was screaming 'bout came scurrying by our feet. With one swift movement I had the mouse in my hands. I gave it to Gracie so she could put it outside. I told Lizzy it was safe to come down now._

 _"I c-can't! I'm stuck!"_

 _I face-palmed. "You're not stuck, Liz. Come on, carefully climb back down."_

 _"What if I fall?"_

 _"Then I'll catch ya."_

 _"Promise?"_

 _"Promise."_

 _She looked hesitant but nodded and carefully made her way down. Halfway down and the tree began to wobble. Lizzy screamed and clutched the tree for dear life._

 _"OhmyGodohmyGodohmyGod! I'm tipping! I'm going to die!"_

 _Noah and Joel ran for cover as the tree neared the ground. I stood there with my arms raised, ready to catch my little sis._

 _"I'll catch ya, Lizzy!"_

 _A second later and I was captured beneath the tree…and Lizzy. Holy crap I never knew Liz was so heavy! Probably all those damn hamburgers she wolfs down._

 _"Told ya I'd catch ya," I said with a small grunt._

 _The tree was lifted from our backs and put back in its original place. Noah helped Lizzy to her feet while Joel helped me to mine. Noah then came over to me, holding out his index finger with teary eyes._

 _"I burnt my finger," he sniffed with pout._

 _I held his hands delicately between mine and pressed my lips to his injury. "Better?" I asked once I pulled away. He nodded with smile before retrieving his coat from the floor and slipping it back on._

 _"You never kiss my injuries better," Joel commented._

 _I smiled, "it'll take more than an injury to get me to kiss ya, Joel."_

 _"How about mistletoe?" Joel smirked as he held up some mistletoe above his head, swaying it slightly side-to-side._

 _I stared at him before nodding, "kay."_

 _His face dropped, clearly surprised by my answer. "I…you what?"_

 _I gripped him by the shoulders, stood on my toes, and pecked his cheek. When I pulled away, his face was as red as Rudolph's nose. He stood there stunned and I snatched the mistletoe from his hands. I held it above my head and gave both Noah and Lizzy a kiss on the cheek._

 _"Kay, now I know I probably should…," I started, looking 'round the room. "…but I ain't even gonna ask what the hell happened in here."_

 _The three of them looked away in embarrassment and I smiled. "Well, I guess it ain't a true Christmas 'til all Hell breaks loose."_

 _"No kidding," Joel smirked._

 _Lizzy giggled, "I think now would be a perfect time, Mel."_

 _"Perfect time for what?" The Ballantine brothers questioned in unison._

 _"Perfect time to take a picture!" I grinned, removing my Polaroid camera from my neck._

 _Noah scratched his head, clearly not understanding. "Uh, why is that?"_

 _"Whenever something 'chaotic' or totally awesome happens, I take a picture. That way I'll always remember it." I handed my camera to one of the kids so they could take a group photo. "Kay, everybody huddle."_

 _We huddle up close together, all smiles, and have our photo taken. I take back my Polaroid and smile. It's perfect._

 _"Aww, my eyes are closed," Lizzy pouted._

 _"Mine too," Noah grinned._

 _"Only one of my eyes is closed," Joel muttered._

 _I smiled at the picture, "I think it's perfect."_

 _"But our faces are weird in it."_

 _"No, they're not. I really hate posed photos'. They're so forced. Candid ones are so much cooler 'cause they show who ya really are."_

 _Lizzy wrapped her arms 'round me, rested her head on my shoulder, and smiled at the photo. "It is a lovely photo." Lizzy looked up at me and grinned, "I have a surprise for you."_

 _I cocked my brow as Lizzy fished outta green box from under the tree. "What sorta surprise?"_

 _She handed me the box and grinned. I opened my mouth to object but she held up a finger, "you have to open it now. It won't last till tomorrow."_

 _Kay, now I'm really curious as to what's in the box. Shrugging, I placed the box on the ground, opened the lid, and gasped._

 _"Holy crap…" I breathed. "Lizzy, it's beautiful."_

 _She squealed, clasping her hands together. "Oh, I knew you'd love it!"_

 _"What is it?" Joel looked in the box and his face paled. "I-is that a lizard?"_

 _"Not just any lizard; this is a Silkback Bearded Dragon," I removed the lizard from the box. "I love his colour too." It only took one glance and I already loved him._

 _"I thought you might," Lizzy smiled. "I asked the owner for one that was red and he gave me him! I think it's a blood-red."_

 _Joel backed up and loosened his tie. He never was a fan of reptiles. It's hilarious seeing him try and make his way through the Reptile Encounter at the zoo._

 _"What are you going to call him?"_

 _"I think I'll call him…Krillin."_

 _*End flashback*_

If only I'd known then that that was gonna be our last Christmas together. A tear slid down my cheek as the memory played over and over again in my head.

"Miss Fletcher?"

I jumped at the voice and slammed the frame glass down onto my desk. Splinter stood by my door with a medium sized box in his hands, a calm expression on his face.

"Hey," I quickly wiped the tear away. "What's up?"

"May I have a word with you, Miss Fletcher?" He asked, stepping further into the room.

"Uh, sure. I guess," I pushed aside the pile of crap I had on my bed so he could sit down. He bowed his head in thanks and sat down on the edge of my bed, his eyes flicking over to the pile on my bed. His whiskers twitched as he placed the box he was holding aside and began looking through the pile.

Hmph, well that's kinda rude, just looking through my stuff like that. I frowned but kept my gob shut. I don't wanna get into an argument now; besides, there ain't exactly anything special in that pile.

He picked up a Japanese phrase book and flicked through the pages. "Anata wa nipponbunka ni kyōmi o motte iru?" (You're interested in Japanese culture?)

I blinked in surprise before slowly replying, "hai, watashi wa chīsana on'nanokodatta irai." (Yes, ever since I was a little girl.)

He finally looked at me and smiled. "That is quite impressive, Miss Fletcher. Not even my own sons speak Japanese as well as you do."

I shifted in my seat, embarrassed. "Yeah, well, it's always been a sorta passion for me."

"What made you become so interested in Japan?" He seemed genuinely interested in what I had to say.

"I dunno really," I shrugged my shoulders. It was true. I had no idea why I found the place to be so interesting. It's just something that popped into my head one day and since then my passion for it has grown. It's like something was calling me there, ya know?

"There's just always been something that…fascinates me about the place.

"Is there anything specific you find that fascinates you?"

"Nah, it's just this strange feeling I got. I feel like something's…calling me there, ya know?"

Splinter nodded like he knew exactly what I was talking 'bout. Wish I knew what the hell it was that I was talking 'bout. "I feel like there is something you are not admitting, Miss Fletcher."

Man, this dude was good. After a moments silence I spoke, "Splinter, this is gonna sound pretty stupid."

"It won't, Miss Fletcher."

"Ya haven't heard what I gotta say yet," I joked, earning a smile from the old rat. "Kay, well…I've always had this strange feeling like, I was born to be someone else, ya know? Like I was meant to have a different life. And call me crazy but, I think it has something to do with Japan."

Splinter smiled like he knew something I didn't. He moved the box onto my desk, talking as he did so, "you are quite right, Miss Fletcher. You were supposed to have another life; one much greater than the one you have had the misfortune of living."

Kay, now I was totally confused. I thought we were just having a random chat, so what is he going on 'bout? What does he know 'bout my life that I don't?

He pulled out a photo from the box and handed it to me. When my eyes landed on that photo, I felt like they were gonna pop right outta my skull.

Ho-ly crap!

"This woman…she looks exactly like me!"

Splinter nodded, "you do look exactly like your mother."

"My m-mother?" I think my heart just stopped. The photo shook violently between my trembling fingers. This was…my mother? But how? I-I don't understand! I was having difficulty breathing as my eyes stayed locked on the photograph.

"Her name is Elora Prescott," Splinter said.

This information was still sinking in. I can't even describe the different emotions I'm feeling right now. I just couldn't believe this.I tried convincing myself that Splinter was lying. But, why would he lie? Butstill this has gotta be some weird misunderstanding…but that doesn't change the fact that I look exactly like her!

I had to get a hold of myself. I took a deep breath, licked my incredibly dry lips, and looked Splinter directly in the eyes. "If this is my mother, than who's this dude she's with?" I pointed to the Asian dude in the photo and Splinters eyes softened.

"That is your father…," he smiled sadly. "…Hamato Yoshi."

WHAT!?


	10. Memories (Part 2)

Krillin and Splinter watched as I paced my bedroom for the last twenty minutes. This news was kinda difficult to swallow. My head feels like it's 'bout to explode any second now. Sixteen years I've spent only knowing myself to be Amelia Fletcher, now I find out that I was 'sposed to be Amelia Hamato! What the hell else don't I know?!

My whole life has been nothing but a friggin' lie! My father is Hamato Yoshi not the gigantic ape, Hun. What? I can't even comprehend this. Hell, I'm sick of trying too. The lump in my stomach is becoming a pain in the ass.

"Are you alright, Miss Fletcher?" Splinter interrupted my thoughts, peering at me with worried eyes.

"Miss Fletcher?" I repeated bitterly. "Fletcher? I'm not even a Fletcher, dude. I'm…hell; is my name even Amelia?!"

He looked away guiltily, "no."

Friggin' wonderful.

"Then what is it?" I asked through clenched teeth.

"Tomoe."

"Tomoe?"

"Named after the prototypical Japanese female warrior. Tomoe was beautiful, with fair white skin, long black hair, and charming features; moreover she was a fearless rider, whom neither the fiercest horse nor the roughest ground could dismay, and so dexterously did she handle sword and bow that she was a match for 1,000 warriors, fit to meet either god or devil."

My knees felt weak. My head was reeling. My name ain't even Amelia. It's Tomoe Hamato…crap, I feel sick.

"This has gotta be some sorta sick joke, right?" I asked, my anger building. "I mean, ya seriously expect me to believe this crap?! All 'cause of some stupid photograph taken years ago!"

Even though I was getting angrier by the second, Splinter remained completely calm. "I know this is difficult for you to comprehend, Miss Fletcher."

I scoffed, "I really doubt that."

He continued, "Your parents loved you-"

"Then where the hell are they?!" I snapped, the question I've been dying to ask finally breaking free. I think that's why I'm getting so upset over this stupid thing. Was there something wrong with me? Was I not good enough for them? Why would they give me away to a family as horrible as the one I'd been living with for the past sixteen years?

A look of realisation passed across his face, followed by sadness. "Your parents are dead, Miss Fletcher."

My anger quickly disappeared with that one sentence. "Say what?"

"Sit down," he patted the spot beside him. My legs felt weak as I wobbled over to the bed. "It's time I tell you the truth."

He took my hands and held them gently, staring at my face as he spoke. "Have you ever heard of the Order of the Guardians?"

My face scrunched up in confusion, "huh?"

"The Order of the Guardians is an organization made up of human fighters, all of which are taught in the art of ninjutsu. The Guardians were founded by the Utroms-"

"Utroms?" I interrupted. Splinter gave me a look, basically telling me to shut my trap, which I did.

"The Utroms are a sophisticated alien race that crash landed on Earth over a thousand years ago. Due to the deficiency of technology, they were forced to stay in feudal Japan until Humanity advanced and developed the technology that they required to repair their ship. In order to remain hidden from humans, they developed human-shaped exosuits, however, one of those suits was stolen by a prisoner they had kept locked up inside their ship. His name was Ch'rell. Never have I seen such a being as ruthless and black hearted as him."

"Sounds like a scary dude," I said absentmindedly. My mind was still trying to get used to the fact there are real, honest-to-God aliens!

"After having succeeded in stealing an exoskeleton, Ch'rell established himself as a person and also took the name of "The Shredder" and built a ninja clan to create an army of followers. In order to protect themselves and other innocent people against the encroachments of the Foot, the Utroms in turn founded the Guardians after they had won the trust of some people. Your parents being the two with whom the Utroms trusted the most."

I was unaware of the breath I was holding 'til it escaped my lips. I rubbed my face with my hands. I had so many questions, but I didn't know what to ask first.

Splinter watched me silently, his whiskers twitching every few seconds. With a sigh, I turned to him and asked the question that I NEEDED to know, "how did my parents die?"

His eyes changed. His expression softened. Sorrowful and grief-stricken. "The Utroms were forced to flee Japan, the Guardians followed suit, continuing to protect their masters in their new sanctuary, the Techno Cosmic Research Institute, in New York City. Your parents built a life for themselves here in the city, while still carrying out the duties as Guardians, until your mother fell pregnant. Your parents were blessed with a beautiful baby girl-" he moved my bangs out of my face and smiled. "-who they named, Tomoe Hamato. They loved you dearly. Tragedy struck a year after you were born. The Shredder had managed to track the whereabouts of your parents and tried forcing them to reveal the location of the Utroms. Your parents resisted and for that they were tortured and murdered for their defiance."

I pulled my legs up to my chest and rested my chin on my knees. The pain in my stomach was making me sick. My eyes burned with tears but I fought them back.

After a few minutes of silence, Splinter spoke again. "I thought you too had been slain that day."

"Why wasn't I?" My voice came out as a whisper.

"I am afraid I do not know the answer to that, Miss Fletcher. The Shredder must have had good reason to leave you unharmed."

The Shredder…I've ain't never even met the guy! Why the hell would he keep me alive instead of just killing me there and then? I mean, he doesn't sound like the type of dude that just kills kids' parents then drops 'em off at a strangers' house. Wait a minute…

"Hun works for the Shredder…doesn't he?"

"Yes," Splinter nodded once.

"And he was there when my parents were killed?" Anger was starting to form inside a me.

"He was."

"So he must know why I'm still alive!" I stood up abruptly, grabbed my hoody, and made my way to the door.

"Miss Fletcher," Splinter called from behind me. I stopped in the doorway, not even bothering to look back. "I know what you intend to do, but please, do not."

"I have to know, Splinter," I said, a sharp edge to my voice.

"To act in anger is like tying up a ship in a storm."

I frowned, "what the hell is that 'sposed to mean?"

"It means I forbid you from leaving the lair, especially when there is anger controlling your mind and body."

"Forbid me?" He seriously did not just say that! "How dare you?" I turned on him, fire burning in my eyes. "Ya can't forbid me!"

Splinters face hardened, "I have allowed you to live under our roof, Miss Fletcher. I expect you to follow the rules."

"NO! I ain't gonna follow your rules! Ya ain't my boss, ya ain't my father…ya ain't nothing to me but an overgrown rodent! Now I'm getting the hell outta here and ya can't stop me!"

I turned on my heel and ran. I can't keep living this lie. I need answers and I need them now.

Even though I was across the street, cheering could still be heard from the warehouse. I've been standing here for ten minutes trying to force my feet off the curb. Hun was in there, but did he have the answers I needed? Maybe, but maybe not…I didn't know. But what I did know was that I ain't gonna be getting answers standing outside all night. It's now or never.

Taking a deep breath I stepped off the curb. My body seemed to move all on its own and it didn't stop 'til I was inside. Dragonface noticed my surprise arrival before anyone else and stood from his place in the bleachers. He whistled, stopping the current cage fight and silencing the roaring crowd, before meeting me halfway. A small crowd had formed by the time I had stopped.

"Well, well, lookey what we have here," Dragonface sneered, flicking his cigarette to the side. "A traitor if ever I saw one."

"Dragonface, always a pleasure," I said with a fake smile.

"You got some nerve showin' up here like this. What, you got a death wish or somethin'?"

I smirked, "not today I'm afraid. I got questions that need answers."

"Oh yeah?" Dragonface leered. "What kind of questions?"

"Questions a dumbass like you wouldn't be able to answer."

Dragonface stepped forward 'til I could feel his breath on my face. Our eyes narrowed simultaneously as we stared each other down. Dragonface eyed me up and down before chuckling. "You got balls kid. I give you that. Come on, I'll show you up."

Dragonface led me through the warehouse to Huns' office. Dragonface patted me on the shoulder before heading back down the stairs. Without knocking, I let myself in. The big oaf stood quickly, knocking his chair down. His lips pulled back over his teeth in a sneer and his eyes narrowed into slits.

"You," he snarled.

I smirked, "really? That's all ya gotta say? Did that bump on the head limit your vocabulary?"

That comment seemed to piss him off even more.

Good.

"What the hell are you doing back here, Mel?"

"I'll be asking the questions 'round here, _Hun_."

"Oh?" He walked 'round his desk, "what questions could you possibly have?"

"Well, let's start with this one; when the hell were ya gonna tell me that I'm Hamato Yoshi's daughter?!"

For the first time in the sixteen years that I'd known him, Hun looked genuinely shocked. That look of surprise though swiftly turned into a glare. "That rat finally told you, huh?"

"So it's true? I really am his daughter." My hands ball up into fists by my sides. "Why? Why did you keep me alive!?"

Instead of answering he smirked and sat behind his desk again. My temper continued to rise when he didn't answer my question. I can't stand people not answering questions!

I slammed my palms down on the desks surface, "answer the goddamn question, Hun! Why did the Shredder kill my parents and leave me unharmed?!"

Amusement danced in his eyes as he leant back in his chair. "What makes you think I know anything?"

"Oh please," I scoffed, narrowing my eyes. "That big nose ya got is always getting stuck in other peoples' business. I know ya know why Shredder left me alive. He made ya take me for a reason. What was it?"

"You always have to know everything, don't you?" He muttered, shaking his head. "I'm not telling you anything, Mel."

"Why the hell not!?"

He smirked, rising from his seat. "The Shredder told me to keep you alive until he was ready for you. I don't ask what his motives are, I just follow."

"Oh, so you're the Shredders' bitch," I said, laughing slightly.

He growled, "I'm nobodies bitch! Now you better watch your mouth or else!" He opened the drawer and pulled out a small pistol and placed it on the desk.

"Shoot me then, I don't care, come on, ya want me to walk over to the window here so ya can get a better angle?" I stood with my back to the window, my arms spread out. Hun didn't move and I dropped my arms. "Don't threaten me. I ain't gonna take 'em. I've been putting up with this for years, and I ain't worried 'bout your puny threats."

I walked back to the door to the office, stopping in the doorway and glancing over my shoulder. "Don't think this is the last you'll see of me, Hun. I'm gonna come back for ya, and when I do, one of us ain't coming out alive."

With that said I left his office, the warehouse, the parking lot…I just left all of it behind, and never wanna go back.

Shredder, a man I ain't even met, is to blame for this. How can someone ya never knew existed cause so much pain and destruction in your life? I don't understand it, and I don't think I'm ever gonna understand it. What I do understand though is that this Shredder is 'bout to receive a serious bitch-slap from karma.

I was yanked outta my daze by a rough pair of hands dragging me into an alley. I was shoved hard up against the concrete wall.

"What the shell do ya think you're doin'?"

I glared at the four turtles surrounding me. Oh, crap. This is all I need.

"Oh, Mel, you got some splainin' to do," Mikey said, folding his arms across his chest.

"Mind tellin' us what it is ya were doin' in there, or do we already know the answer?" Raphael stepped forward, pointing his finger at me. Great, again with the finger waving. I swear, one day I'm gonna break that thing off.

"It ain't what ya guys think. I only came 'cause-"

"Cause you're a back-stabbing sell-out!"

I frowned, "I ain't a back-stabbing sell-out, Raph. Now if ya would just shut up and-"

"No, you shut up, Mel!" Raph interrupted once again. "I seriously can't believe ya would go back there! After everythin' they did to ya!? Was killin' ya sister not enough!?"

My mouth fell open in shock at the same time the other turtles' did.

Leonardo looked between the two of us, "what are you talking about?"

Raph glanced back at his brother, grabbed the top of my arm, and dragged me forward. "Haven't ya guys heard? Our little Mel here had a baby sister once, named Lizzy."

"Stop it, Raphael," I said in an almost desperate whisper.

"Lizzy begged our dear Mel to quit the Crimson Dragons, but like the Mel we all know, she didn't listen. Mel always knows best, right?"

"Raph…please, don't."

"Eventually Lizzy had had enough, so she snapped and ran away from home. Couple hours later, Mel finds her body dumped behind a dumpster. Turns out her gang buddies did it, ain't that right, Mel?"

The three turtles' faces dropped in disbelief.

"Mel, i-is that true?" Donnie stared at me, shaking his head side-to-side like he couldn't believe what he was hearing.

Instead of answering I looked at Raphael. "Why are ya doing this?"

He ignored my question, "Ya give me this long crappy sob story about your sister and wantin' ta change, and like a sap I fell for it! What else are ya lyin' about?!"

"I didn't lie 'bout that, and I ain't lying now! This really isn't what ya think!"

"Enough, Mel! We ain't buyin' anymore of your stories. You were in there 'cause ya wanted to crawl back and join 'em! Well ya know what? Go right ahead, we ain't gonna stop ya!"

"But I don't wanna join 'em!"

"Yeah, right," he scoffed, rolling his eyes.

"Why the hell won't ya believe me?!"

"Maybe 'cause you're a lyin' piece of Dragon scum!"

"What the hell ain't registering in that thick skull of yours?! I. Am. Not. A. Dragon!"

Raph gripped the top of my left arm and stared at my tattoo with narrowed eyes. "As long as ya have this dragon on your arm you'll never be anythin' else but a Dragon."

He dropped my arm and went to walk away but came back. He leant in close to my face and whispered, "And just so ya know, Lizzy died 'cause of you."

Without even thinking I had slapped him hard across the face, the sound deafening in the silent alley. His head was turned but I could still see the shock on his face. Time seemed to stand still as the five of us stood frozen. Tears streamed down my cheeks, and I let 'em; hell, I didn't even try to stop 'em.

Before Raph even had a chance to recover, I was already gone, bolting outta the alley and down the street. I don't think I have ever run so fast in my life, I just needed to get away as fast as I could. My feet pounded against the concrete curb as tears blurred my vision. How could he say something so cruel to me? He knew I loved Lizzy! He didn't even give me a chance to explain!

After what felt like hours of running, I found myself in Central Park. I stumbled down the sidewalk, desperately searching for a place to sit before my legs gave out. There wasn't another living soul to be seen, but then again, smart people don't walk through Central Park at night. Finally finding a bench, I practically collapsed onto it, my head in my hands. I sat there replaying tonights' events. When the hell did it all go south? I was just 'sposed to get answers, but instead I got no answers and ended up falling out with the turtles…again. And what's worst… I didn't know what was upsetting me more. Was it Raphs' words that were stuck on constant replay in my head? Or was it Donnies eyes that were filled with nothing but disappointment…the same way Lizzy's were when she found out I had joined a gang.

Maybe it was a mixture of both? Then again it could be neither. I honestly dunno the reason. I mean, what Raph said was cruel, but for some reason I wasn't angry at him…I think I'm angry at myself.

Angry that a choce I made years ago still ends up biting me in the ass.

Angry that I've done nothing but live a lie.

Angry that I keep letting people down.

Angry that I've already lost one family and I'm 'bout to lose another.

I can't lose them! I care 'bout those stupid reptiles way too much to let 'em go. Oh God, I can't believe I said that. I CARE 'bout them. Ha, who'd a thunk it?

Kay, I have to show 'em. I have to show 'em that I care. That I'm not just some piece of Dragon scum. No more pissing 'round. It's time I be the girl Lizzy wanted me to be…the real me. But first, there's something I gotta do!

It was 'bout two in the morning by the time I got back to the lair. All the lights were so I'm guessing everyone's asleep. I wonder if Splinter is asleep 'cause I really wanted to talk to him. A light was shining under the door to Donnies' laboratory. Hmm, wonder what he's up to. I tried to be as quiet as possible as I walked to his lab. I raised my fist and gently tapped the door three times.

Donnies' croaky voice shouted through the door, "for the last time I am not reading you a bedtime story! Just go to sleep, Mikey!"

"It's not Mikey," I called back quietly.

Glass breaking sounded from his side of the door followed by a quick 'oh, shoot!' The wheels of his chair skidded across the floor and his footsteps treaded across the ground quickly. The door swung open to reveal an exhausted looking Donnie. Over his shoulder I saw the glass beaker now lying on the ground in a million pieces, his chair sitting awkwardly in the centre of the small lab, and dozens of papers strewn across the worn, chemical-stained wooden desk. My eyes flicked back to Don, who was rubbing his eye and yawning.

"Ya look exhausted," I pointed out softly.

"I'm alright," he said while yawning. His tired eyes finally opened. It seemed to take him awhile to register who was standing in front of him but when he did his eyes widened. "Mel?" He gaped, eyeing me up and down. "What have you done?" He said, more to himself than me, taking a strand of my hair between his fingers.

My face flushed and I avoided his gaze, "I, uh, decided to get a make-over."

"Why?"

"Well, I wanted to prove to all of ya that I ain't a Dragon anymore. I thought changing the way I looked would help with that. Why? Do ya not like it?"

"Of course I do! I just was not expecting it. You look…wow," he breathed, still fiddling with the strand of hair between his fingers.

"Seriously?" My face got hotter. "Ya don't think I look…dorky?"

He raised an eyebrow ridge and chuckled, "dorky? No, Mel. You look different." He let my hair fall and smiled. "It's a good different though. Not that you didn't look good before or anything, you just look better now than before. Wait, this is coming out wrong," he fumbled with his words, the blush on his cheeks vibrant against his olive skin.

I smirked, "I look that good, huh?"

He rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, an adorable little smile on his face. I smiled to myself at his reaction. I gotta admit the way he reacted now was a lot better than the way he reacted when he first laid eyes on me. To be honest I was surprised myself when I saw my new look staring back at me in the crappy mirror of a public bathroom. The piercings in my face were the first to go. I still kept the ones in my ear; I mean they were just too badass to take out! Then came the makeup. I was down to wearing nothing but some mascara and eye liner. I feel so naked and exposed but I'm sure I'll get used to that. Finally I had to change my hair. All hot pink dye had been washed out and it was no longer spiked. It was back to being plain black and straight. It was like looking at the old Mel again…Lizzy would be proud. The only thing that I ain't able to change is this stupid dragon on my arm. Guess I'm stuck with the stupid thing. Unless…maybe Donnie knows how to get rid of it.

"Donnie? Ya don't have anything that can remove tatts do ya?"

He looked at the dragon on my arm, over his shoulder at his lab, then finally resting on my face. He folded his arms, his hand resting gently under his chin and frowned. "Afraid not, Mel. However," he began to untie the purple bandana wrapped 'round his eyes. "I do know of a way to conceal your tattoo," he smiled, wrapping the cloth 'round my arm. Once he was finished he smiled warmly at me.

I stared at his bandana on my arm, blushing slightly. "Wow, thanks Donnie."

"You're welcome, Tinkerbell."

I smiled at his nickname for me.

"Did you want to come in for a bit?" Donnie stepped aside and gestured for me to enter.

I shook my head, "I'd love to, Donnie, but I can't. Actually I was hoping to speak to Splinter. I kinda have to apologize for being a bitch earlier. Do ya know if he's still awake?"

Donnie glanced at his fathers' door, "I'm not one hundred percent sure of that, Mel. He might be meditating."

"Only one way to find out I 'spose," I muttered. Before leaving I wrapped my arms 'round Donnie. His arms instantly wrapped 'round my body. "Thanks again, Donnie."

We pulled away, said our goodbyes and went our separate ways. I shifted awkwardly at Splinters' door trying to psyche myself up to actually knock. Taking a deep breath I raised my fist and tapped the sliding door gently. After a seconds' silence, Splinters' calm voice drifted through the door.

"You may enter."


	11. Let the training begin

"You may enter."

Amelia smoothed the back of her hair down before sliding the door open and stepping inside. Splinter was, just as Donnie had predicted, meditating. He was seated behind a kotatsu, his eyes closed. He raised a hand and gestured for the young girl to take a seat. Mel hesitated but quickly sat on the tatami mat across from him, swallowing the lump that had formed in throat as she waited for him to speak. His eyes opened and he offered her a smile.

"Would you like some tea, Miss Fletcher?"

Amelia eyed the teapot in his hands before shaking her head, "I'm good."

He poured himself a cup and placed the teapot back onto the table. He sipped his tea slowly, his whiskers twitching as he did so. Amelia bit her lower lip as she watched him drink. She clenched and unclenched her fists as he pulled the cup from his lips and set it next to the teapot.

"You look so much like your mother," he said with delight, his head tilting to one side. "I miss her very much."

Eyes downcast, Mel couldn't help but ask, "What...what was she like?"

"She was...a very strong woman."

She tore her gaze away from the numerous nicks on the wooden tabletop and stared into the rats' eyes, a small frown on her face. "No offence, dude, but that ain't exactly explainin' a lot."

His whiskers twitched as he smiled, "No? Well, allow me to explain then. Your mother wasn't afraid to be different. She would constantly take chances, even though it sometimes scared her. And she always admitted when she was afraid. She never held onto pain from past experiences in her life for any other reason than to allow it to be her guide. She enjoyed the company of others, but also liked her time alone, to figure out things on her own."

A reminiscent smile made its' self apparent on the old rats' face, his eyes closing as he spoke about the woman Amelia would never have the chance to meet. Though, due to the way he was describing her...it felt as if she already beginning to know her.

"She knew how to give of herself, and not just when someone had given mentally, or physically to her. She never put others down, and was never afraid to admit her own flaws. She was determined and always went after whatever she wanted...in a respectable way of course," he chuckled. "She was driven by positiveness of what she was certain of, and did not allow herself to be hindered simply of what she may not have known at that present moment."

He opened his eyes and stared deep into the bright green eyes of the girl sitting across from him, "You remind me so much of her."

A small sound of surprise slipped past her lips before she shook her head in disagreement, "I ain't nothin' like her."

"What makes you say that?"

"Cause I ain't strong! I'm...weak," she muttered darkly. "And I'll never be as strong as her."

He shook his head, "Strength does not come over night or a day. It is something that is learned over a long period of time."

Splinter got to his feet and stepped around the kotatsu, making his way over to the oriental painted wardrobe that was situated in the corner of the room. Amelia followed him with her eyes, her curiosity piqued once he pulled out a small shoebox. He sat directly in front of the young girl and placed the box on the ground between them.

"This is your parents' memory box," Splinter said, delicately removing the lid. "Everything they've cherished is in this box."

There were old photos' of her parents, love letters that Yoshi had written to his lovely Elora, a ticket stub to the Tenjin Masuri festival, a miniature stuffed sheep, and a couple of other items that were precious to the couple. Splinter pulled out one of the old photographs and handed it to Amelia. Her eyes widened as she stared at it.

"That's your mother when she herself was a teenager," Splinter said with a hint of amusement. "As you can clearly see, she, too, went through a...rebellious stage."

Amelia nodded her head in agreement. The woman in the photo didn't look anything like the one he had shown her earlier. This woman had short, purple hair, with bangs that covered half her face. Her dark green eyes were surrounded by a thick layer of black eye shadow. She was frowning too, a lit cigarette hanging from her lips.

"So what the hell happened to her?" Mel asked, tearing her eyes away from the photo.

He smiled, "Mr Mortu happened."

"Huh?"

"Mr Mortu," he repeated. "He founded the Guardians."

She gave a silent 'oh' and he continued to speak.

"Mr Mortu was away in England for business, and that's where he met Elora."

"My mother was English?"

"Yes. She was the daughter of Edward and Pricilla Prescott, an extremely wealthy family. She was raised to be a proper young lady, though in her teenage years she became quite troublesome. She was always in trouble with the law in one way or another. As I was saying, on his way home, Mr Mortu heard the disgruntled screams of your mother. He ran to help, but Elora seemed to be handling the situation quite well. He watched her from his place in the shadows, and even though she lacked proper fighting abilities, he could see she had potential for something greater. The men that had confronted her had fled, knowing that they could not win. That is when Mr Mortu made his presence known, and he offered her a chance to become a Guardian. She accepted, of course, and from that day she was trained to be a Guardian. She became one of the greatest warriors ever known, and was chosen by Mortu himself to accompany him wherever he went."

"Whoa," Mel breathed, her eyes widening slightly. She suddenly didn't feel like such a lost cause.

"This belonged to your mother," Splinter smiled, a silver necklace dangling from his fingers. Mel stared at the piece of jewellery in admiration. The light from the candles in the room were reflected off the silver frame, making it twinkle beautifully. The word 'honour' was written in Kenji down the centre. "May I?" Splinter asked, holding the necklace out to her.

Surprise flashed quickly across the young girls' features before being replaced by a gentle smile, which was most uncommon for the rebellious teen. She nodded once and leant forward, allowing Splinter to place the necklace around her neck. Amelia glanced down at the beautiful item now dangling from her neck and lightly brushed her fingertips across the surface, her lips curling into a smile. Splinter watched the teen, her now gentle demeanour coming as quite a shock to the old rat, but it was also quite pleasing.

"Honour," Mel whispered to herself as she clutched the necklace tightly in her palm. It was in that moment that she finally realised what she wanted. What she needed in order to become the person Lizzy would be proud of. "Can ya...I mean, I wanna...do ya think...," Mel stumbled over her words. She was never one to ask for her help. Her stubbornness never allowed it.

Taking a deep breath, she squeezed her eyes shut and tried again. "Can ya teach me ninjutsu?"

The old rat smiled, "Hai, I will teach you, Miss Fletcher."

The young girls' face brightened, "Really?! Oh dude, that's awesome! So, when do we start kickin' ass?!"

He chuckled at her enthusiasm, "We will start at 6:00 AM sharp. So why not try and get some sleep before we begin."

"But I ain't tired," she raised one shoulder in a shrug.

"Very well," he poured another cup of tea and placed on the table in front of the young girl. "Sit with me and have some tea, and let me tell you a story. A story about how my sons and I have come to be."

Raphael snored loudly as he slept peacefully in his hammock. The digital clock that sat on his bedside table blared that most irritating sound as the numbers switched from 6:44 to 6:45. The snoring ceased as the red clad turtle began to stir. Opening his eyes, he cringed at the irritating sound from his clock. He slipped his three-fingered hand out from beneath his blanket and knocked the clock onto the floor, ceasing the noise immediately but also breaking it in the process.

Oh well, Donnie wouldn't mind fixing it again later.

Throwing his blanket onto the floor, the turtle sat up, his feet touching the floor, and stretched with a yawn. He grabbed his red bandana from the small wooden shelf above his hammock and tied it securely around his eyes. Then came his belt and twin sais.

Now all he needed was a cup of coffee and bowl of cereal and he would be ready to face the day.

He left his bedroom, finding his three siblings already trudging down the stairs. He followed them soundlessly towards the kitchen.

A crash coming from the training room, followed by a string of curses, caught the attention of the four turtles. Michelangelo scuffled closer to Leonardo and hid behind his large frame, causing the blue clad turtle to glance at him momentarily.

"Is it just me, or did that sound like Mel?" Donatello asked, a small smile on his beak as he glanced between his brothers.

"Mel's back?" Mikey questioned excitedly, stepping away from the protection of his big brother and running towards the training room. Once he reached the entrance, he halted and stuck his head around the corner. "Hey, that's not Mel! That's some other chick!" Mikey whined, turning his attention back to his advancing brothers.

"It's not some other chick, Mikey," Donnie smiled, having been the only one to see Mel since her new make-over, as he stuck his head around the corner. The weapon rack was knocked over on its' side, the hooks that used to contain weapons now empty. All weapons sat scattered around Mels' feet, and Donnie couldn't help but chuckle to himself when she cracked a sheepish smile.

"I hardly even recognize her," Leonardo said with slight awe as he absorbed her new look. "What made her change?"

Donnie glanced at Leo and smiled, "She wants to prove to us that she's not a Dragon anymore. She figured changing her appearance would be a good way to start."

Raphael was the only one who hadn't seen Mel since yesterday, and he didn't want to see her now. He leaned back against the wall and folded his arms with a scoff. "I can't believe you're really fallin' for that, Brainiac."

Donnie frowned as he turned his attention to the hot-headed turtle. "You think she's lying?"

"I know she's lyin'," Raph pushed himself from the wall. "This is just another one her tricks ta try and get us to feel sorry for her."

"You're being silly, Raph."

"Am I?" His eyes narrowed. "Care to explain why the shell she was with the Purple Dragons last night? Ya got an answer for that, Don?"

Donnie hesitated momentarily, "No, but-"

"There ain't no 'buts', Donnie!" Raphael spat, cutting his sentence off. "Mel is up ta somethin'. My bet is she's workin' for the Purple Dragons and is plannin' on takin' us out one by one. We gotta stick together on this."

"I dunno, Raph," Mikey spoke nervously, shaking his head. "What if you're wrong?"

"I ain't wrong, Mikey."

Leonardo sighed while rubbing his temple, "Let's say for argument's sake, you are right about this; what do you plan on doing about it?"

"We can't let this chick know we're onto her, so we're gonna have ta keep an eye on her without lettin' her know that we're keepin' an eye on her."

Donnie shook his head side-to-side in disbelief at his brothers' words. Raphael was being ridiculous. Mel wouldn't do this to them...to him. She couldn't. There had to be a logical explanation as to why she was with the Purple Dragons last night. He refused to believe that Mel would go crawling back to a life that was nothing but torment.

"You are welcome to join us, my sons," Splinters' voice rang out from within the training room.

The sudden sound of their fathers' voice startled the four brothers. How did he know they were there? Did he hear what they were saying? Did Mel?

"Oh man, do you think he heard us?" Mikey whispered fearfully.

The brothers shared a look of uncertainty before slowly entering the training room. There they found Mel standing in the centre of the room, her back facing them as she watched Master Splinter, demonstrating in slow motion, a move called the Sword Hand.

"You need to keep your left hand raised – like this, see?" Splinter instructed, moving towards the young girl with his hands raised.

Mel watched the movement of his hands closely before she carefully imitated his stance.

"That's good, Miss Fletcher, but not quite right. Your left hand shoulder should be higher. As if you were expecting an attack. Yes, that's better. Now, keeping your fingers together, take your right hand and chop downward, like this."

Splinter slowly brought his right hand down towards Mels' neck, shifting his body slightly to maintain his balance as he did so, but his feet never leaving the ground. His hand made, barely noticeable, contact with her neck.

"A blow of this kind will stun most any enemy. Also, if you were to strike hard enough, break their collarbone. Now you try."

Splinter held firmly onto the girls' hands as he guided her through the moves, positioning her, cautioning her not to get to close to the enemy lest a counterattack foil her own attack.

"Again," he demanded once Mel had done the same routine numerous times now in slow motion.

Mel did as he asked, only faster this time, her right hand striking through the air. It landed on the old rats' shoulder with great force.

"Careful, Miss Fletcher," Splinter warned. "This is only training. I do not want you to kill me."

Mels' cheeks flushed in embarrassment as she looked down at her sneakers. "Sorry, dude-I mean, Master! I didn't even realize what the hell I was doin' there for a second. For a minute there, I imagined ya were the Shredder and I wanted to kill ya – him. Damn, I dunno what I'm saying."

"It's alright, Miss Fletcher. I understand. Now I should probably point out something everyone who practices the ancient art of Ninjutsu should know. A Ninja warrior must keep their mind concentrated on what they are doing at all times. They cannot – dare not – let their mind wander as you admit yours just did. Such wandering could have dire consequences. Keep your mind focused on the task at hand. On your opponent. On victory."

"I'll try, Master S," Mel nodded once.

Splinter looked behind the young girl at his sons, "You may join us if you wish, my sons. Or you may commence your own training."

"I'd rather watch and see Mel get knocked flat on her ass," Raph spat, glaring at the ground.

Feeling his eyes burn holes into her back, Mel turned around to face him. Raphael finally looked at her and when he did, his breath hitched in his throat. She certainly was different. There was a frown on her surprisingly delicate features. Her emerald coloured eyes seemed to sparkle in the light as they stared at him questioningly. Her glossy black hair was pulled back into a tiny ponytail, a few stray strands stuck to her face due to the sweat rolling down her skin. Raphaels' eyes wandered down her body, taking in her attire. The plain white singlet she wore clung tightly to her body, the front riding up slightly showing off her toned stomach, while her black tracksuit bottoms slid down her left hip. A seductive image of her spread across silk sheets flashed through his mind, making his entire face turn a bright shade of red.

Mel noticed his eyes roam over her body, and there was no mistaking his thoughts, especially once his face turned a vibrant red. Mel smirked to herself, a strange feeling of power washing over her once she realised the effect she had on him at that moment.

"Are you thinking naughty thoughts about me, Raphael?" She teased, a flirtatious tone in her voice.

The turtles' eyes widened, his mouth dropping open before swiftly turning into a sneer. "Don't flatter yourself, princess."

Mel simply smirked in response, irritating him even more, and turned her back on him. "By the way," she started, glancing over her shoulder. "Your voice travels."

"Busted," Mikey whispered fearfully, taking a step back.

Raph rested one hand on the hilt of his sai, directing his attention to his taped-up punching bag in the corner. "I got no idea what you're talkin' about."

"Stupidity doesn't suit ya, Raphie-boy. I heard ya talking 'bout me outside. You don't trust me."

"No, I don't. But ya haven't exactly given me reason to," Raphael crossed his arms.

"I know," Mel said sombrely, turning around to face the four turtles before her. "And I understand the reason for your lack of trust, but I'm hoping that you'll give me a chance to prove myself."

"Mel, you don't have to prove anything to us," Donnie said gently.

"Yeah, I do, Donnie." Mel stepped forward, locking eyes with Raphael. "Listen, Raph...that night on the docks, when I spilled my guts to ya, I meant it. I meant every damn word. All I'm asking for is a chance."

Raphael studied her for a moment. She certainly sounded sincere, but still, he couldn't be sure. What if he was to give her a chance and she messed up? He and his family could suffer dearly.

"Why should I give you a chance?" He asked. His tone held a great deal of scepticism. "How do I know this ain't a trick?"

"You don't," she bit her lip while shifting her gaze to the floor. "I can't make ya give me a chance. I can't make ya trust me. Hell, I can't even make ya like me. But I do know what a pain in the ass I've been. I really do regret my decision to join the Crimson Dragons, but unfortunately there ain't nothing I can do 'bout it now."

Mel placed her hand on the purple cloth wrapped securely around her arm. "And I'll always have this tattoo to remind me of what an idiot I've been. Every time I look at it I'll be reminded of all the crap I've done, all the people I've hurt, my...baby sisters' death." Tears formed in her eyes as she looked back at him.

Raphael felt a lump form in his own throat. He noticed her dampened eyes, little teardrops glistening on the tips of those impossibly long eyelashes and he felt his guilt begin to eat away at him.

"All last night, the only thing I could think about was what ya had said to me. That Lizzy died 'cause of me..."

He felt another pang of guilt.

"You were right. And I wanna thank you."

"Thank me?" Raphael repeated, not sure he heard her correctly.

Mel nodded once, "Yeah. What ya said made me realise what a...horrible person I've been. I thought I knew what was best and I was too stubborn and angry to listen to anyone else. And after Lizzy died, I got worse. I wanted to hurt others before they could hurt me, but that's not the way I wanna live the rest of my life. I'm tired of always having my guard up. I wanna be able to trust you, all of you, and I want you to trust me too." She glanced at the five mutants surrounding her. "So...what do ya say?"

The three turtles turned their attention to Raphael, allowing him to make the decision. He was the one who didn't trust her; he needed to be the one to make the call.

Raph stared at the girl before him, her eyes pleading. He knew that look all too well. He himself had it every time he had asked for his brothers' forgiveness. They had forgiven every time, without question, even though sometimes he knew he didn't deserve it.

He closed his eyes, releasing a sigh before he nodded. "Alright, I'll give ya a chance. But if ya want us ta trust ya, then you're gonna have to tell us everythin'."

Mel smiled, relief washing over her at the thought of receiving a second chance. "I can do that."


	12. Now everybody knows

"What are you going to do now, Mel?" Leonardo asked as he swirled the teaspoon around in his coffee. "Since you now know the truth about your parents."

Master Splinter and the four turtles were seated around the kitchen table, eating quietly while Amelia spoke. For the past hour they had asked question after question, and she answered them all as honestly as she could. In the beginning, Mel was apprehensive about revealing so much about her past, but not because of the shame and guilt she felt about the things she's done and the people she's hurt. It was the pain of bringing back childhood memories. It made her sick to her stomach just thinking about it. The beatings she had received from both Hun and her mother; the sight of her drunken mother stumbling through the door at two in the morning; the men that would come in and out of the house on a daily basis, lustful glints in all their eyes; Lizzy huddled in the crawl space beneath the stairs, praying for her big sister to come home and protect her; and Lizzy's death. That was the most painful part.

Mel was ashamed as she spoke of such memories. She could feel the tears welling up in her eyes, the rage rushing throughout her body, but the gentle grasping of her hand from Donatello had given her comfort. She felt a calmness wash over her as the purple clad turtle smiled reassuringly, gentle brown eyes silently telling her that everything was okay. She had to be grateful, not only for Donatello's comfort, but for the acceptance of the other mutants. Not once had they looked upon her with repugnance or disdain. No shameful words were uttered beneath their breaths. They simply sat and listened to every pain-filled word she spoke, every shaky breath she took, and every self-loathing comment she cast towards herself.

Thankfully, the subject had shifted from her painful past to more recent events. Both Mel and Master Splinter informed the turtles of her true identity and relation to Hamato Yoshi.

"Well, Master S is gonna teach me ninjutsu so I can kick some serious ass," Mel replied as she punched the air. "Then, once I get good enough, I'm gonna confront the Shredder."

"Confront the Shredder?" Michelangelo's hands flew to his head. "Are you crazy!? That dude is a crazy, psycho, evil alien type thing! You can't confront him!"

"I have to, Mikey. I have questions, and he's the only one with the answers."

"Hun was already working for the Shredder when Yoshi was killed. Perhaps he knows why Shredder kept you alive," Leonardo mused, pulling his cup away from his beak.

Mel shook her head, glaring slightly at the bowl of cereal in front of her. "He doesn't."

"How do you know?"

"Cause I already asked him 'bout it last night."

"Wait, so that's why you were at the Dragons' warehouse last night?"

Mel rolled her eyes, "That's what I was trying to tell ya. I told ya before, I ain't a Dragon anymore."

Amelia noticed Raphael stiffen in the seat across from her and his spoon slowly droop back into his cereal. A hint of embarrassment flashed across his usually controlled expression as his assumption was proven wrong. He looked over to Mel only to find her green eyes dancing with amusement, and he felt like a complete idiot.

"I knew there had to be another reason for your being there," Donnie smiled, his grip tightening on her hand that was so small compared to his. "I knew you wouldn't betray me - us! I, uh, I meant us."

Mel couldn't help but smile as a blush appeared on the turtles' olive skin. "I'd never betray you guys," she said as she placed her free hand over the top of his, sandwiching his hand between hers.

Raphael watched the two smile at one another as Mel ran her thumb along the top of his brothers' hand. He imagined Donnie leaning over to whisper sweet nothings into her ear, followed by a kiss on the lips. Mel's eyes would flutter shut and she'd return the kiss with passion. His heart turned sour and a feeling of jealousy surged through him.

Raph growled low in his throat, earning a confused glance from Michelangelo sitting beside him. Mikey followed his brothers' gaze, his mouth spreading into a goofy grin as realisation dawned on him. Mikey nudged his hot-headed brother with his elbow, gaining his irritated attention.

"What?"

Michelangelo smiled deviously and whispered, "I see you're feeling a little jealous, huh, Raphie-boy?"

His eyes narrowed into slits, "What the shell are ya talkin' about?"

"Jealous of… _them,_ " Mikey grinned, gesturing at the pair sitting across from him and his brother.

Raphael scowled at his brothers' accusations, even though he knew he was right. "I ain't jealous of them."

"Don't worry bro. I won't tell anyone about your feelings for Mel," Mikey teased.

"What are ya, deaf? I just said I ain't jealous!"

"Ok, so you're not jealous…but, you do have feelings for her."

"No, I don't," he snapped. "Now if ya don't shut up about this I'll bap ya one."

Mikey slung his arm around his brothers' shoulders and poked his cheek. "Aww it's ok to like her, Raphie. I mean, she is pretty hot."

That was the breaking point for Raphael.

"I told ya ta shut up!" He shouted, startling Mikey which caused him to tumble backwards out of his chair.

The others stared at the fuming turtle in silence, completely oblivious as to what had just happened. Master Splinter stood from his seat and made his way over to his son, resting a hand on his shoulder.

"What is the meaning of this, Raphael?"

Raphael shrugged his fathers' hand from his shoulder, "Stay outta this! It ain't none of ya business!"

His three brothers gasped at his words. Amelia sat silently, her eyes flicking between the father and son. Raphael's eyes grew wide. He hadn't meant to snap at his father like that. He turned to him, his head low, guilt written all over his face.

"Master Splinter, I…I-I'm sorry. I don't-I don't know…"

Master Splinter shook his head side-to-side slowly. "Ah, my son. So angry. Rage is a monster that will destroy you from within."

Raphael avoided his gaze and brushed past him, stopping in the entrance to the kitchen when Splinter spoke once more. "Raphael, a true warrior finds balance in all things."

Raphael said nothing and stormed out of the room and out of the lair. Splinter sighed soundlessly as he heard his son leave. The room was silent until Leonardo spoke up.

"I'm going to go talk to him."

"Do you think that's a good idea, Leo? You know what Raph is like," Donatello said, leaning back in his chair.

Leonardo placed his hands on his hips, "Which is exactly why I have to talk to him. He can't keep losing his temper like this."

"Leave him alone, Leo," Mel said, earning the attention of everyone in the room.

"What?"

"Leave him alone," she repeated. "Right now he's totally pissed and if ya follow him and start giving him lectures, it's only gonna make him worse."

"Look, Mel, with all due respect, I think I know what's best for my brother."

Mel shrugged casually, "Fine, go ahead, but I know what I'm talking 'bout, kay? I'm hot-headed myself and whenever I'm pissed off, I just want everyone to leave me the hell alone."

Leonardo rubbed his forehead in frustration, "And what happens if he gets into trouble, huh? Then what do we do?"

"Then we help him," she said, rising from her seat. "But for right now, leave him be. He needs time to cool down himself, and when he does he'll come back."

"Miss Fletcher is indeed right, Leonardo. Raphael needs to learn to handle such problems on his own." Splinter turned to Mel with a small smile. "Shall we continue your training, Miss Fletcher?"

"Totally," Mel grinned, following the old rat back into the training room.

Mel and Michelangelo lay side-by-side on the queen sized bed in Amelia's newly decorated bedroom. After finishing her training for the day, Mikey offered to help decorate her room. Mel had jumped at the offer and the two began decorating, but now that it was finished, the pair were exhausted.

"Thanks for helping decorate my room, Mikey," Mel said as she admired their handiwork.

The brick walls were now painted black, same as the ceiling. The cold, cement ground was now covered in bath mats, fluffy ones, which Mikey had stolen from the bathroom after Mel had stated earlier that she hated walking across a cold floor barefooted. Fairy lights were taped to the ceiling like a string of pearls. The bed was a simple mattress placed on the floor in the far corner of the room and consisted of dark pink sheets, a purple and black striped comforter, and two gigantic square pillows that would devour your head if you weren't careful.

There's a photo collage of her, Lizzy, Krillin, and the Ballantine brothers above her bed with the words 'Family gathers here' painted above it. The other walls were completely covered with posters. There were posters of Three Days Grace, Halestorm, Queen, Warrant, Breaking Benjamin, The Rasmus, Icon for Hire, Flyleaf, Skillet, The Pretty Reckless, and numerous other bands Mikey hadn't even heard about. And a couple of posters of James Dean, who, according to Mel, was 'the most heavenly creature to have ever walked the Earth'. Mel was quite pleased with the way the walls were decorated, though Mikey not so much, as he had commented that the vertical corners of the walls were missing something, so Mel had taped the remaining fairy lights down the seam of all four corners.

On her black wooden desk sits her sticker infested laptop, a pile of CD's, a Polaroid camera, and the journal April had given her. Two beanbags are placed in front of the flat screen TV that's mounted on the wall; one pink, the other purple. Connected to the TV is a game console, generously donated by Mikey himself, with a pile of games already beginning to form beside it. The bookshelf consists of a couple of books, photography magazines, a photo of Japan, some old vinyls, a CD player, the shoebox containing her parents memories, some comic books and action figures which Mikey had added for some colour, and a few other little items that Mel has collected over the years.

Finally, at the foot of her bed sat a beautiful dark green velvet cushion with a gold trim which Krillin now occupied, happily snuggled up against Michelangelo's cat, Klunk.

"No problemo, Mel," Mikey grinned as he, too, admired the room. "We make a good team."

Mel nodded in agreement, a smile on her face, before standing and grabbing her camera from the desk. She held it in front of her face, "Smile."

"Wait a sec, let me pose," Mikey got to his feet and posed for the camera, grinning largely as the light flashed.

"Sexy," Mel complimented, staring at the photograph in her hand. She grabbed some pieces of tape and added it to the collage above her bed. "There. Now my room is complete!"

"You're putting me on your wall?" Mikey asked.

Mel looked over at him, "Uh, yeah. I hope that's cool."

"Cool?" Mikey looked at her and grinned. "It's more than cool, babe. I mean, I totally understand why you'd want me up there. I am the pretty one."

Just then, his stomach growled loudly.

Mel stared at his stomach for a few seconds before bursting out laughing. "Oh man, that was like a sound I heard in the woods once."

Mikey blushed before laughing as well. "Dude, I'm starving! All this hard work has made me weak with hunger."

"Hey! I'm the one that did all the heavy-lifting!" Mel said, pointing to herself.

"Yeah but I told you where the furniture had to go," Mikey defended. "Helping people really gives you an appetite."

"Sure, sure," Mel rolled her eyes, though a smile was on her face. "Hey, ya in the mood for pizza?"

Mikey's face brightened, "Babe, I'm always in the mood for pizza."

"Let's go see if the others want anything," Mel smiled as she and Mikey left her bedroom.

The pair headed downstairs to find everyone seated in the living room, April and Casey included. "I told ya he'd come back," Mel said once she reached the bottom of the stairs, her eyes locking on to the hot-headed turtle emerging from the kitchen with a glass of water.

Everyone turned their attention to the young girl walking towards them. Donatello grinned and waved as he saw her approach and Mel gave a small nod in greeting.

"Yeah, he and Casey just got here a few minutes ago," Leonardo said, closing his book. "Looks like you were right, Mel."

"Right about what?" Raphael asked with narrowed eyes, not happy that he was being spoken about behind his back.

"That ya would eventually come back," Mel shrugged and smiled. "You're like a puppy that way."

Raphael choked slightly on his water, "What?!"

"You're like a puppy," Mel repeated, making Mikey try and stifle a laugh. "No matter what happens, you'll always find your way home. Raph the Puppy. That's what I should start calling ya."

"Call me that again and you'll soon be findin' out that my bite is a lot worse than my bark," Raphael threatened as he took a seat beside Casey. Mel smirked and put her hands up in surrender.

"Wow, Mel. You look really beautiful," April complimented, this being the first time seeing the young girl since her make-over.

Mel gave a dismissive wave of her hand, the shy grin on her face indicating she wasn't used to getting compliments. "Ya don't gotta be so nice, O'Neil."

April shook her head, "I'm not saying it to be nice. I'm saying it because it's true."

Mel glanced down at her attire: a plain white t-shirt and a pair of denim jeans that had more holes than actual fabric. In her opinion, she looked like a slob. Though she never was one to think much of herself. She had always found herself to be un-appealing, so receiving such a compliment from both April and Donnie came as quite a shock.

"Well, thanks, I guess," she shrugged. "Listen, I'm goin' topside to get Mikey and I some pizza. Anyone want anything?"

"I wouldn't mind some pizza," Donnie said.

"Me too."

"Same here."

"Kay. Be back soon," Mel said, leaving the lair.

"Here's your pizza, ma'am."

I took the pile of pizzas from the cashiers' hands muttering a quick thanks and left the pizzeria. As I made my way down the sidewalk, I couldn't shake the feeling that I was being followed, and this wasn't the first time I'd been followed. Not wanting to let my stalker know that I knew they were following me, I continued on down the street, fighting the urge to glance over my shoulder, and carefully scanned the buildings ahead of me, though I could see nothing.

Balancing the pizza boxes with one hand, I reached into my pocket to grab my phone only to find that I didn't have it on me. Crap. I musta left it back at the lair. I mentally cursed myself for being so stupid. Now I ain't sure where to go. I got no phone, no weapon, and I definitely can't go back to the lair. The only options I have is to take this scumbag down, or run like hell.

I rounded the corner and entered a silent street. No people, no cars, no sign of life whatsoever. Geez, it's like the friggin' apocalypse right now. I stepped off the curb and onto the road. I dropped the pizzas I'd been carrying and stood my ground, glaring up at the rooftops.

"I know you're following me!" I yelled up at the buildings. "Show yourself!"

My eyes flicked from rooftop to rooftop, finally settling on one building where a person seemed to appear outta thin air! Like, literally, they just materialised or some crap. Said person jumped from the rooftops, landing gracefully in front of me. I could see then that they were a ninja. My eyes lingered on the emblem on the left side of his chest and my eyes widened. I remember Master S showing me that symbol when we spoke 'bout my parents.

 _The Foot._

Crap. Now I knew I was in deep crap. The ninja tilted his head to one side, like he was examining me or something, before snapping his fingers. Seconds later, other ninjas began appearing outta thin air all 'round me.

I was surrounded.

By invisible ninjas.

With no weapon.

 _Fan-bloody-tastic._


	13. Absence

Fifteen days. Fifteen days since Amelia was last seen. Nobody knew where she was, or whether or not she was even still alive. The turtles combed the city streets every night, hoping to find something that will help determine what has happened to her. But every night they came back empty handed, and every night the chance of finding her alive becomes less likely.

Leonardo was the last to enter the lair. He stopped in the doorway and silently watched as his younger brothers went their own separate ways; Donatello to his lab; Raphael to the dojo; and Michelangelo to Mel's room. This appeared to be their usual routine every night since Mel's disappearance and it was beginning to worry Leonardo. He couldn't help but wonder who was hurting the most. He was aware of the individual bonds the three of them had seemed to form with her, even though she had not been with them for very long. Leonardo had yet to form any kind of bond with her. Every time he approached her she seemed to back off, almost as if she was distancing herself from the blue clad turtle, yet he had no idea why. Though, if he was being honest with himself, he never actually attempted to connect with her.

Leo treaded lightly past the dojo, carefully observing Raphael from the doorway. He seemed to be even angrier than usual as he threw forceful punches at his punching bag, which was already barely holding together. If it wasn't for his temper it would be near impossible to know exactly how Raphael was feeling. He never has been an open book.

Making his way over towards Donnie's lab, he pushed the door open slightly and observed his genius brother as he hovered above a map of the city. Donnie muttered quietly to himself, shaking his head and marking off several locations with a red marker. He seemed more determined than anyone to locate Mel's whereabouts. Donnie yawned and rubbed his eye before getting back to work. Leonardo shook his head slowly, worry gnawing within the pit of his stomach. His brother hadn't slept in days and every time it was suggested he do so, he would refuse. They had to find Mel, fast.

Trudging up the stairs, Leonardo stopped by Mel's door and smiled at the sight of his youngest sibling, who was curled up on the mattress with Klunk and Krilllin on his chest. Mikey had volunteered to care for the lizard since Mel's absence, but unfortunately it hadn't been going as well as he had hoped. Mikey had observed Mel's treatment of the lizard; feeding him; playing with him; teaching him tricks; and cuddling him. Yet Krillin didn't seem to want any of those things. Every day he would patiently await the arrival of his owner, but when the turtles came home empty handed, he would go straight to sleep. Mikey has since taken to sleeping in Mel's room, though Leo wasn't sure if that was for Krillin's sake or for his own.

Leo turned away and made his way back down the stairs and into the kitchen. He grabbed a glass from the over-head cupboard and filled it with water from the tap. He raised it to his beak and downed the entire glass in one gulp. He was going back out to search for Amelia himself. It was his job as the eldest sibling to take care of his brothers and make sure everything was okay, and if bringing Mel back alive was what it took, then he was going to do it. He just prayed that it wasn't too late. Exiting the kitchen, he took a final glance at his brothers' whereabouts before turning towards the lair door, which had begun to open.

His eyes widened in shock and horror as he silently watched the door slide open, revealing a bloodied figure.

"Mel…" Leonardo whispered to himself as an almost unrecognizable Mel stumbled through the door. He stood frozen to the spot and all he could do was stand and take in the horrifying sight before him.

One of her eyes was swollen closed and black. There as a softball sized purplish bruise on the right side of her temple. Her bottom lip was split and bleeding. Numerous cuts and bruises, and what appeared to be small burns, covered her skin. What looked similar to a dog collar was securely tightened around her neck. Her clothes were gone, and she stood there trembling only in her underwear. Across her waist was a large horizontal gash which was oozing blood. She stood awkwardly, holding onto her hip with her right hand, which appeared to be slightly disfigured, as if she was in a great deal of pain. But despite her overall appearance, the only thing that kept Leonardo's horrified attention was the fact that her left arm was no longer there. It had been amputated halfway above the elbow and was wrapped in bloody gauze.

"Leonardo…"

Mel's weak voice broke the blue clad turtle from his thoughts. A small and tired smile was on her face. Taking a step forward, she lost her balance and began to fall. Quickly recovering from his shock, he sprinted towards her, catching her just before she hit the ground.

"Nice catch," Mel commented before slipping into an unconscious state.

Leo stared at Mel in his arms before screaming over his shoulder. "Master Splinter! Help! Donnie! Raph! Mikey! Come, quickly!"

Master Splinter's eyes snapped open as the panicked scream of his eldest son reached his ears. He grabbed his wooden cane that lay beside him and made his way to the door as quickly as his old legs would allow. His brothers, also hearing the cry for help, each stopped what they were doing and rushed into the living room, weapons drawn.

"What? What's goin' on?" Raphael twirled his Sais between his fingers as his eyes scanned their home.

"My son, what is the matter?" Splinter questioned, also preparing to defend their home.

Leonardo slowly turned around to face his family, an unconscious Mel in his arms. The same look of shock and horror passed on each of their faces as their minds registered who was in his arms. An eerie silence swept over the family. Leo scanned the sickened faces before him before breaking the silence.

"I was going out to look for her, and…she was there. I-I don't…I don't know how."

"Her arm," Donatello sounded disgusted as he gaped at the bloodied gauze where her arm used to be. "What happened to her arm?"

Michelangelo took in her appearance before tears began forming in his eyes. His lower lip quivered and he bit back a sob as he asked, "Is she…dead?"

Leo shook his head quickly, "No. She's just unconscious."

"We must care for her injuries," Splinter said, turning and walking towards Donnie's lab. "Come now. Quickly."


	14. Caged

_Mel's POV (Flashback)_

 _How in the hell did I get myself into this position? I mentally scold myself as I grip the iron bars of my cell tightly with both hands. The only thing I can remember is getting my ass handed to me by those 'invisible ninjas', then next thing I know I'm waking up here…wherever here is. A slight chill ran down my body and I glanced down at myself only to find my clothes were gone, leaving me in only my bra and knickers. The idea of some creepo stripping me while I was passed out made me shudder, but right now I got bigger things to worry 'bout._

 _The cell I was in was dark, beyond filthy and the air felt cold and damp. There was a metal bucket in the corner of the cell, which I assumed was what I had to use for a toilet…um, gross. The walls, floors, and ceilings were made out of stone. The doors to the cells were iron bars, which I've been trying to break for a while now. The lighting was crap, the only source of it being from the couple of torches that hung on the walls outside the cells, and the place reeked of sweat, urine and crap (literally!)_

 _Man, this is the second time I've woken up in cell since I got to New York. At least I knew what I was getting into last time, but now…I ain't so sure what to expect. My eyes flicked over to the giant Foot symbols that hung on either side of the entrance and I frowned. What the hell does this Shredder dude even want with me?_

 _Footsteps echoed from within the shadows of the entrance, and I sensed an evil aura approaching at an accelerated pace. A man emerged from the shadows and made his way towards me, two Foot ninjas trailing him obediently like a pair of dogs. He stopped in front of my cage and smiled at me, his dark eyes showing no emotion. I narrowed my eyes at him as he examined me._

 _"Amelia Fletcher, leader of the Crimson Dragons," he tilted his head to the side, his smile widening, before he bowed. "I am Oroku Saki, eighth generation ninjutsu master. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance."_

 _"Screw you and your pleasantries, Shredder! Let me outta this cage now!" I snapped, a sudden anger exploding at the sight of him._

 _He stood tall, folding his arms behind his back. Anger flashed quickly in his eyes but he managed to keep the pompous smile on his face. "Hun wasn't lying; you do have quite a temper."_

 _"Ya don't know anything 'bout me, Shredder," I glared at him, my grip tightening on the iron bars._

 _"Oh really?" He chuckled, an evil, bone-chilling sound, and leant down close to my face. "I know a lot more about you than you think, Tomoe."_

 _"Well let's just say I know a lot 'bout you too, Shredder. Or should I call ya, Ch'rell?" I said, mirroring his smirk._

 _He appeared unfazed by the fact that I knew his true identity. "I see the rat has spoken about me. Well then, I suppose you should learn the reason why I brought you here. Tell me, where can I find the turtles?"_

 _"What makes ya think I'm gonna tell?" I asked, letting go of the bars and folding my arms. If he thinks I'm gonna sell the turtles out then this douche has got another thing coming._

 _He stood straight again, "If you tell me where I can find them, I will tell you where to find the ones that murdered your sister."_

 _My heart stopped. My arms fell back to my sides as I stared up at him in surprise. "You…you know where they are?"_

 _"Of course," his smirk deepened. "Now all you have to give me is the turtles' location and I can promise that you will have your revenge. Isn't that what you've been craving ever since her death?"_

 _I stared down at my feet, frowning slightly, clenching and unclenching my fists. "No."_

 _"No?" He repeated. "Hmm, this is quite unusual for someone with a reputation such as yours. I assumed you would want nothing more than make the people responsible pay for killing the only family you had."_

 _He was right. I did want revenge…at first. I wanted nothing more than to hunt my old gang members down and make 'em pay for what they had done. I wanted 'em all to suffer, just like I had suffered, but killing 'em ain't gonna bring Lizzy back. No matter how much I want it to. The only things I have now are the turtles', and I ain't gonna give up their location. I refuse to let them die 'cause of me!_

 _I folded my arms across my chest and looked Shredder in the eye. "I'm not telling ya where the turtles' are."_

 _His expression darkened, causing my blood to run cold. "Hun told me you were strong, but I can't help but wonder just how strong you actually are."_

 _He signalled to the two ninjas behind him and they nodded simultaneously. My cell door was unlocked and pushed open. I backed up but they swiftly grabbed my arms and dragged me from my cell, following their leader down the hall._

 _"Let us find out just how strong you truly are," Shredder said, and I could tell he was smiling by the pleasure in his voice._

 _"And how are ya planning on doin' that, Tin-Teeth?" I grunted as I tried freeing my arms from the ninjas' iron grip._

 _Shredder stopped and turned to me with a sadistic smile. He leant down into my face, "I'm going to see how long it takes for me to break you."_

 _Shredder hurled me roughly against the wall. The breath was forced from my body, and I let out a cry that filled the quiet room. I felt the flat pain of the stone in my back and slumped down onto the floor, my whole body throbbing. My vision clouded, my head suddenly heavy and weak. I saw Shredder's armoured legs stop in front of me, my own beaten reflection staring back at me._

 _For twenty-six hours, maybe more, I've been trapped in a tiny room with this…monster. My blood covered his knuckles and was splattered across his armoured chest. My eye was already beginning to swell close and my mouth had filled with blood yet again. He keeps screaming in my face as he hits me, trying to get me to squeal on the turtles'. It ain't gonna work though. I'm used to getting beaten. I can handle this. I will get through this without breaking._

 _He crouched in front of me and grabbed a fistful of my hair. He forced me to look at him as he spoke. "I must say I'm impressed. Over twenty-four hours has passed and you haven't uttered a word. You really are strong. But no matter, I have plenty of time to change that."_

 _His helmet covered his face, but I knew he was smiling. All I could see were his eyes, which were currently dancing with amusement._

 _The door behind me groaned loudly as it was opened and I heard the shuffling of feet entering the room. Shredder glanced at the ones interrupting his 'fun' before turning his attention back to me._

 _"Seems our session has come to an end for now. But don't fret; I will come for you in a few hours' time," he chuckled to himself before dragging me to my feet by the hair. He threw me back and I was caught by two Foot ninjas', though their uniforms were different than all the others. "Take her back to her cell then report back to me."_

 _"Hai, Master Shredder," the two ninjas' said and bowed simultaneously._

 _Their grip on my arms tightened, for they now had to pretty much carry me back to my cell since I was a little wobbly from the beating I just took. I glanced between the two of 'em as they lead me back down through the winding hallways. From what I gathered, they were both female. They both wore black skin-tight suits which were barely visible due to the armour that covered their chests, shoulders, forearms, and legs. Long, hooded black capes were pulled up over their heads, and metal face plates covered their mouths and noses, allowing only their eyes to be seen._

 _Back to my cell, the door was yanked open and I was thrown to the ground. I grunted silently as I made contact with the stone, and even though my body ached, I pushed myself up and glared at the pair._

 _"What the hell are ya staring at?!" I snapped as their green eyes watched me curiously._

 _They glanced at one another then back to me. One of 'em shook their head and turned away, walking back down the hall. The other one lingered. Her eyes seemed to be sympathetic as she crouched down and gripped the iron bars._

 _"Are you in much pain?" Her voice was soft and quiet._

 _I laughed bitterly at the woman, "Well I just got the crap kicked outta me, so yeah, I'm in friggin' pain."_

 _Her eyes widened slightly before softening, "I apologize. I suppose it was a silly question."_

 _My arms were shaking, finding it difficult to hold my weight, as I pushed myself into a sitting position. I rested my back against the wall, the coolness from the stone giving slight relief to the throbbing bruises which now covered my skin. The woman still watched me and it was becoming extremely irritating._

 _"What the hell are ya still sitting there staring at?!" I growled at her but she seemed completely unfazed. "This ain't a zoo, ya know! I ain't some animal here to entertain ya!"_

 _Silence. More staring._

 _Somehow I was on my feet, screaming vicious threats at her, my knuckles white from gripping the iron bars so tight. She had jumped back from the cell, startled by my sudden outburst. The woman muttered something beneath her breath, shook her head, and turned on her heel and walked away._

 _I was left alone._

 _A week had passed since I was taken. Every day was the same routine. I would be woken up with a kick to the ribs, or shocked by the shock collar that Shredder had placed 'round my neck on day three. A leash would be attached to my collar and I was forced onto my hands and knees like a dog while they dragged me to our usual 'interrogation room'. Once there I knew I was in for hours of pain and torment. I would scream, curse, and struggle, but Shredder didn't even flinch. He just punished me whenever I spoke._

 _Once Shredder decided he had had enough 'fun' for the time being, I was dragged back to my cell, barely breathing, with two guards standing by my cell. Every time I would begin to fall asleep I was quickly woken by the guards, either by screaming, rattling the iron bars, or using the shock collar. The shock collar seemed to be the popular approach._

 _Food would appear sometime throughout the day. Plain white rice and a bottle of water. It was always cold, and mushy. I imagine that it's what glue tastes like. At first it was disgusting, but 'cause I was hungry I forced myself to eat it, and keep it down. It was always hand delivered by one of the two female ninjas' I had encountered the second day of my arrival. I had since learned their names; Karai and Rena. Karai would throw the food at my feet, observe me silently, and then leave. Rena…she was a different story. She would place the food in my hands and sit outside the cell door, watching me as I ate. She would speak to me, though I usually didn't listen. I didn't wanna hear anything these people had to say. I would yell at her to stop, and then threaten her, but she continued to speak. I wasn't sure if this was one of Shredder's tactics to try and break me, or if this woman simply loved the sound of her own voice; either way I forced myself not to listen._

 _Today was different however. Today Shredder seemed even angrier than usual. He had no time for any of my nonsense and he made sure I knew it. His finger slammed down on the red button once again and I screamed out in pain. I rolled 'round the ground, shaking violently and convulsing from the powerful electric volts that went shooting throughout my body. Blinking away the tears, I stared up at him through hazy eyes. Something was different today. There was no enjoyment in his eyes today. No taunting laughter._

 _Now, I was scared._

 _He paced the tiny, barely-lit room, eyes glued to my bloodied form crumpled in a ball at his feet. He stopped by the wall and ran his clawed hand down the stone, creating sparks._

 _"My patience is wearing thin," he growled, ripping his hand away from the wall. "I will give you one final chance to tell me where the turtles' are; otherwise I will put an end to your miserable life."_

 _"Do it then!" I growled back, just as angry. "You've been threatening to kill me every time ya see me! So hurry up and get it over with! Come on! Don't be a pathetic coward! Ya might as well kill me 'cause I ain't even gonna tell ya where they are!"_

 _A scream erupted from my mouth as his finger slammed down on the remote control. My body thrashed violently as his finger remained glued to the button. Seconds, which right now felt like minutes, passed before he lifted his finger from the control. My body went limp and I struggled to breathe. Shakily, I craned my neck to watch Shredder as he circled me._

 _"How many times do I have to tell you?!" He snarled as he grabbed me by the neck and slammed my back hard up against the wall. "Never speak to me disrespectfully, filth!"_

 _"Fuck. You." I spat in his face, the blood from my mouth splattering across his polished kabuto. He slapped me hard across the face with his free hand then threw me across the room. He stormed towards me and kicked me in the ribs, knocking me onto my side. He stood there, shaking, his hands clenched into fists by his sides. Despite the crippling pain, I managed to roll onto my back and I laughed. I dunno why I laughed, I just…did._

 _Shredder was not amused._

 _"You think this all some big joke?!" He spoke more to himself in a low, almost demonic, voice. "Well then, allow me to show you just how funny I can be!"_

 _Within an instant, his entire demeanour had changed. I was on my feet, an iron grip on my left wrist. Shredder stared at me. I stared back, now afraid of what he was gonna do._

 _"That mouth of yours is going to be the death of you. Perhaps I should sew it shut for you," he mused, running the tip of his claw lightly across my lips. I jerked my head away but he grabbed my chin roughly. I avoided his gaze, trying to avoid the intensity of his glowing eyes._

 _"Look at me, human," he commanded._

 _When his fingers pressed harder into my flesh, I had no choice but to look at him. Gritting my teeth, I watched as his eyes glistened with amusement._

 _Running my tongue across my bottom lip, I forced myself to ask the one question I've constantly wondered. "Why didn't you kill me sixteen years ago?"_

 _He tilted his head slightly to one side before looking away, "Why, indeed."_

 _What the hell does that even mean?_

 _"You know what's sad?" He asked, turning his attention back to me. "The fact that while you're here, protecting those disgusting reptiles-" his grip on my wrist tightened "-they're sitting at home, not even wondering where you are."_

 _"You're wrong," I said, though it didn't come out as confidently as I had hoped._

 _He hummed in amusement, "Might I remind you that I have Foot soldiers on patrol every night, and there have been no signs of turtle activity." He brushed a stray strand of hair from my eyes and leant down close to my face. "They don't care about you, Amelia. They never have. You're nothing but a worthless human to them. An inconvenience. A troubled teen that had nowhere else to stay."_

 _I tried blocking out his voice. He was just toying with my emotions! The turtles' care about me. They're out looking for me as we speak…aren't they?_

 _"They wouldn't go through all this torture just for you, which makes me wonder why you're suffering for them. Of course, I'm not complaining that you have yet to give me any information. I do love a challenge, and you, my dear, have been quite challenging."_

 _I gritted my teeth and squeezed my eyes shut. Don't listen to him. He's a manipulative psychopath that's just trying to get me to break._

 _"Speak," he commanded._

 _I ignored him._

 _He grabbed the back of my hair, forcing me to look at him. "Say something, mutt."_

 _Narrowing my eyes, I moved closer towards him 'til my face was inches from his. "When I get outta this – and I will – I am gonna hunt you down, and gut you like a fucking deer."_

 _My voice was slow and deadly. Each word laced with venom. Shredder pulled back slightly, and I saw a hint of surprise flash quickly in his eyes, though he swiftly recovered. I was slapped hard across the face, thrown to the ground, kicked, and then shocked._

 _"You just never learn, do you?" He growled, kicking me in the ribs. "Looks like I'm going to have to be a little firmer in my punishments."_

 _He banged his fist against the door and in entered Karai and Rena. They bowed obediently, briefly glancing at my convulsing form in the middle of the floor._

 _"Stand her up," Shredder commanded, pointing to me._

 _The two bowed and dragged me to my feet. My legs wobbled beneath me and I heard the women grunt as they attempted to hold my weight. Shredder began circling me._

 _"That temper of yours…that's what got your sister killed, no?" He asked in a slow, calm voice._

 _My eyes widened before I snarled at him, "You're wrong!"_

 _"Am I?" He chuckled menacingly. "So you didn't get angry at her? You didn't scream and yell at her?"_

 _"Well, yeah, but…"_

 _What was happening? Why was he saying all of this? I didn't understand._

 _"Admit it, scum. Your temper is what killed the only family you ever had. If you hadn't gotten angry then your sister would still be here!"_

 _I shook my head violently side-to-side. I began to cry, and I didn't bother wiping away the tears. I wanted to yell and scream, curse him out, tell him he was wrong…but he wasn't. There was no denying that I got Lizzy killed. And all 'cause I couldn't control my temper._

 _"Tell me, what's it like knowing that you're sister died thinking that you didn't love her?"_

 _"No! S-she knew I loved her!" I yelled._

 _"Did she?" He stopped behind me, rested a hand on my shoulder and whispered in my ear, "How often did you tell her that?"_

 _My head dropped, making my hair block my face. I felt tears slide down my cheeks as his words sunk in. I couldn't handle the emotion that filled me at the realization that I rarely told my sister that I loved her._

 _"Judging by your sudden silence I'm going to assume you didn't really tell her that you cared," I could hear the smirk in his voice. "Such a pity. From what I've heard, the two of you had a pretty vicious fight before she died. Now I'm curious…what was the last thing you said to her?"_

 _My chest tightened as that nights' events replayed over and over again in my head. Shredder moved 'round 'til he was in front of me. He tilted my chin up, but this time I didn't fight him._

 _"Tell me, Amelia. Tell me what the last thing you said to her was."_

 _"I hate you…" I whispered, my voice trembling. "I said 'I hate you'."_

 _Then it hit me full force. That was the last time I saw her alive. Lizzy died thinking that I was mad at her. She died thinking that she was a burden to me. I just realized that the last time I saw her, my last words weren't 'I love you'. My last words to her were 'I hate you'. My knees buckled and I fell to the floor, sobbing uncontrollably._

 _"You have a funny way of showing your love," he chuckled, purely amused by the whole thing. "Is this why you decide to hide your tattoo?"_

 _Rena and Karai pulled me back onto my feet. Shredder held my forearm roughly, running his thumb along the red dragon permanently inked into my skin._

 _"You're ashamed of this, no? Does it remind me you of that night?"_

 _I gave a small nod. He nodded too and I noticed him grabbing the hilt of his sword he kept on the lower half of his back._

 _"I bet it reminds you of that fact that your sister died because of your temper. And all the terrible choices that you made. And because of your lifestyle, the one you dragged her into…"_

 _The women tightened their hold on me. Shredder ran his hand down my arm before firmly taking hold of my wrist._

 _"It's funny how something so miniscule can cause you to remember so much." He slowly slid his blade from its' sheath and raised it above his head._

 _"W-wait, what are you…what are you doing?" There was no hiding the fear in my voice as I tried ripping my wrist from his grasp._

 _"I'm going to make you remember," Shredder whispered sadistically._

 _My eyes grew wide. "Remember what?"_

 _"That I'm the one who finally broke you."_

 _As soon as those words left his lips, his katana came slicing through the air. Next thing I knew, my left arm was gone._

 _(End flashback)_

My eyes shot open and I gasped loudly, my entire body drenched in sweat. Sitting up quickly, I noticed I was wrapped up in bed…my bed. For a moment I thought that I had just had some sick, crazy-assed nightmare about the Shredder, but the pain that erupted throughout my body made it very clear that it was not just a nightmare. It was real. I glanced down at my left arm and I felt like crying. The only thing that stopped me was the slight mumble from beside me.

I jumped as my eyes took in the sleeping form of Mikey, who was sprawled out on the mattress next to me. Drool spilled from the corner of his mouth onto my other pillow he was using and I had to bite my lip to keep from laughing.

"Oh, you're awake."

I almost crapped myself when I heard a voice from the doorway. Leonardo stood by the door with his arms crossed, a warm smile on his beak. He took a few steps into the room, flicking the light switch on as he entered. I blinked and rubbed my eyes as I adjusted to the harshness of all the lights.

"How are you feeling?" He asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Like I got the crap kicked outta me," I said with a small, pained smile. "How long have I been out?"

"Three days," Leo smiled and looked over at Mikey's sleeping form. "They never left your side."

"They?" I repeated, cocking my brow. It was only when I looked over that I realized that there were two other turtles' asleep in my room. Donnie lay on the floor beside me and I noticed his hand gently resting on top of mine. In my computer chair sat Raph. His feet were propped up on the computer desk, his arms dangled loosely by his sides, and his head hung at an odd angle over the back of the chair. He looked as far from comfortable as ya could get.

I smiled in disbelief. That fact that they cared enough to stay by my side for three days made my heart flutter. So they really did care.

"Are you in pain?" Leo crouched at the end of my mattress, his brown eyes filled with concern. "I can go fetch some medication to help ease the pain."

I shook my head, "Nah, I'm good. Thanks."

Kay, so I wasn't all that good. Truthfully, my entire body ached. My head ached, my limbs ached, hell, my bones ached! But knowing that I'm back in the lair, away from the Shredder, and having the turtles' beside me…it made the pain bearable, even if it was just for a moment.

"Alright, but if you need anything just call me," Leo smiled and tucked the end of the blanket 'round my feet. He stood and made his way back to the door.

Sighing, I relaxed back into the pillow. My eyes suddenly became heavy and I wanted to bury myself deep into the warmth of the blanket and never wake up. My pain seemed to subside as comfort took over my body. After being captured by Shredder I was forced to sleep on the ground, and every night the stone would send chills shooting up and down my body. Hell, I can't even remember how many nights I had to sleep like that.

After losing my arm, I began losing track of the days. To be honest I didn't really care. I didn't really care about anything anymore. Food would continue to come but I'd never eat it. Guards would stop by my cell, mainly Rena, and try get me to speak, but I never did. The fear of sleep became too much to handle, so I remained awake for the most part. I had become an empty shell; huddled in the corner of a cell, patiently awaiting death. I feared that Shredder had succeeded in breaking me, but now that I'm here…I fear he's only made me stronger.

Closing my eyes, I pulled the blanket up to my chin, smiling. Oh, yes. Sleeping in a bed has never felt so good.

"Mel."

I opened my eyes to find Leo still standing in the doorway. He smiled warmly, "Welcome home."

Home.

I was home.


	15. PTSD?

Morning had come quickly. Raphael was the first of his brothers to stir. He woke with his head at an awkward angle, his neck stiff and sore. Dragging his legs off the computer desk, his feet landed on one of the fuzzy bathmats that sat on the floor and he couldn't help but marvel at the level of comfort the fuzzy material provided for his calloused soles.

He stood and stretched with a groan, twisting his neck from side-to-side until he could move it freely. Cracking his back, he glanced over at Mel's bed, only to find it empty. Panic filled him as he glanced around the room. Picking up the journal from the desks' surface, he flung it at the still sleeping form of his younger brother, startling him awake.

"Not the dirty socks!" Michelangelo yelled, sitting upright in bed.

Raphael looked at him with confusion but decided it best not to say anything. Donatello began to stir after hearing his youngest brothers' outburst and sat up with a yawn.

"Wake up. Mel's gone," Raphael said quickly, tucking his Sais back into his belt and leaving the room.

The brothers lay back down with a grumble, but as soon as their minds registered what they had just been told they were on their feet, following their brother down the stairs.

Turning on the living room lights, the three brothers briefly glance around downstairs before heading straight for the kitchen. Perhaps Mel had gotten hungry during the night and decided to grab a quick snack. Sure enough, there she was.

Donatello and Raphael both paused in the entry to the kitchen. Their hearts seemed to quicken when their eyes landed on her seated at the round kitchen table, a cup of coffee wrapped in her hand. Despite her battered appearance, she still managed to take their breath away.

Mel and Leonardo chatted happily with one another, neither of them noticing the three turtles lurking in the doorway. Raising the cup to her lips, Mel took a sip of her coffee. She winced faintly, the hot liquid burning her already raw throat. Setting the mug down without a sound, her eyes landed on three very familiar figures by the door. Her eyes brightened at the sight.

She opened her mouth to speak but before she could even get a sound out, she found herself firmly enveloped in the arms of the orange clad turtle. Pain erupted once more but she bit her tongue to keep from making any sound of discomfort. Michelangelo pulled back, holding her out at arms' length as he examined her. Lower lip quivering and blue eyes filling with tears, he pulled her back in for another hug.

"I was totally worried about you, Mel! Do you know you scared the shell out of me?! We searched for you everywhere but we couldn't find you, and then you turn up here all beaten and bloody and I couldn't help but panic! And then you wouldn't wake up but I had a feeling you would and...and...and..."

The words tumbled out fast, in a single rushed breath. Mel pulled away from the embrace and smiled as she wiped a few tears from the turtles' cheeks.

"Chill, Mikey. I'm fine," she assured him with a grin.

"That's good," Mikey pulled out a chair and sat as close to her as physically possible, staring at her face with great intensity.

Mel blinked at him a few times before smirking, "what ya doin' there, Mike?"

"I'm never letting you outta my sight again," Mikey replied with such seriousness, Mel couldn't help but laugh to herself.

"Kay, well, good luck with that," Mel smiled and turned her attention to the other two brothers' still standing in the doorway. She shifted in her seat, slinging her arm over the back of the chair, and smirked, "I haven't looked in the mirror yet, so give me an honest opinion, Raph. How bad do I look?"

Raphael glanced over at Donatello before turning his attention back to the tortured beauty before him. Crossing his arms, he mirrored her smirk. He wanted to give her compliment, but what came out of his mouth was anything but a compliment.

"I can't notice a difference really. Ya were already ugly ta begin with."

His face, along with his siblings', fell as he realised what he had just said. That was certainly not what he was wanting to say. For some reason he had panicked and simply allowed the first words to enter his mind slip past his lips. Opening his mouth to apologize, he was silenced by a sudden giggle.

Mel had her hand over her mouth, trying to contain the sound, but soon found out that she couldn't. She soon found herself in hysterics and didn't bother trying to contain the laugh she had kept hidden for so long.

The turtles' stared in disbelief, for none of them had heard such a laugh before. Of course they had heard tiny giggles slip past her lips, or a short rusty sounding laugh that seemed to be forced, but nothing like what they were hearing now. This was a genuine, heartfelt laugh that made them want to laugh along with her. It was loud and quite unusual, but highly entertaining and contagious.

Mel soon stopped laughing, clutching her side, her face contorted in pain, though she still managed to keep a smile on. "Ow. Damn, don't make me laugh, Raph. It hurts and I'm barely holding together as it is."

Raph held his hands up in surrender, "Hey, how was I 'sposed ta know that'd make ya laugh? Ya got a weird sense of humour...and laugh."

"You're just full of the compliments today, ain't ya?" Mel gave him a slight smirk then turned her attention to Donatello, who was now seated across from her and staring at the area where her arm used to be.

Her right hand automatically went up and wrapped around the fresh piece of gauze where her left arm should be. Donnie's eyes flicked to Mel's face and he wanted to kick himself. There was no denying the fact that his staring had made her feel suddenly embarrassed and self-conscious. Her face was flushed; the hand wrapped around the gauze trembled as she brought it back down to her lap.

Before he had a chance to explain, Mel was on her feet.

"Anyone like some coffee or somethin'?" She asked in an obvious attempt at avoiding the awkward situation.

"I want some milk," Mikey said, earning a smack on the back of his head from Leonardo. Mikey frowned and rubbed his head, "ow! What?"

Leonardo shook his head, a disapproving look upon his face. Turning his attention to Mel, his features softened. "I don't want you pushing yourself too hard, Mel. You should relax. I'll get the drinks."

"Nah, man, it's cool. I ain't one to stay in bed all day and have people wait on me hand and foot," she gave a dismissive wave of her hand. "'Sides, I already lost an arm, I ain't gonna lose the use of my legs either."

Mel grabbed Mikey's favourite mug from the overhead cupboard and placed it gently on the counter. The mug had a painted picture of his favourite superhero on the front; Silver Sentry. He had told Mel that is what his most cherished possession because Silver Sentry himself had signed the mug for him. Opening the fridge, she grabbed the pitcher of milk and began filling the glass, careful as to not spill any.

"Good morning, my sons," Splinter greeted as he entered the kitchen. It always warmed his heart to see his sons eating together and getting along. The four turtles greeted him in their own unique way. His eyes travelled over to the counter where he found the young girl pouring a glass of milk. He was surprised to find her up and walking about, but was equally as pleased to discover that she was alright...nearly alright. Her body seemed to be trembling faintly, which appeared to be making a simple task such as pouring a drink somewhat difficult. Her body kept going to hunch over until she forced herself to straighten up. She winced as she stopped pouring and placed the pitcher back onto the counter.

Upon hearing him enter, Mel smiled at the old rat over her shoulder. "Morning, Master S."

"Good morning, Miss Fletcher," he seated himself at the table, setting his walking stick aside. "You gave us all quite a scare the other day. How are you feeling this morning?"

"Better than I was a few days ago," she turned to him holding a small teacup. "Tea?"

"Please."

Facing the counter, she set the teacup down and opened the fridge. Momentarily forgetting that she only had one arm, she kept the fridge door open with her knee and reached for the pitcher of milk, but ended up knocking that, and the two cups, over in the process. It all happened so fast, yet seemed to go by in slow motion as the milk poured down the counter and the cups shattered into a million pieces. Mel let the fridge door swing close on its' own as she stared at the mess at her feet.

"Oh no, no, no, no, no," Mel mumbled to herself, shaking her head slightly. "This ain't good."

"Aww that was my favourite cup," Mikey stared sadly at the chunk of Silver Sentry's face floating in a puddle of milk. Tearing his gaze away from the shattered pieces, his brow furrowed at the horrified expression on Mel's face. "Mel? You ok?"

Mel was in a world of her own as she took in the mess she had created. Images of Shredder flashed through her mind. His voice rang loudly in her ears. For a moment, she could've sworn she felt the shock collar tighten around her throat as it sent bolts of electricity through her body. Mel fell to her knees and began scooping up the shattered pieces with her hand.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry," Mel repeated over and over again like a broken record.

The four turtles' glanced at one another in surprise before silently watching the young girls' meltdown.

"Mel...?" Donnie took a cautious step forward.

When she didn't respond, Master Splinter rose from his seat and made his way over to her.

"Miss Fletcher? Miss Fletcher? Amelia." The firm tone used made her hand stop. "Look at me."

A demand. He had _demanded_ that she look at him. Another wave of fear coursed through her and she received another shock by the collar no longer there when she didn't immediately obey his order. Reluctantly, Mel raised her head, only to find Shredder looming above her. Splinter stepped up to her and reached for her; she flinched as if he had raised a hand to strike her, and fell backwards onto her butt, a slight whimper escaping her lips as she gazed up at him in horror.

Despite her reaction, Splinter continued to advance towards her. Mel had squeezed her eyes shut as he rested his hand on the top of her head. Feeling a hand gently stroke her hair, her body relaxed and she opened eyes. Shredder no longer loomed above her. Instead, Splinter knelt in front of her, concern etched into his old features. Glancing around, she took in her surroundings finding that she was in the safety of the turtles' lair. Her eyes flicked to the mixed expressions of the turtles', the mess still on the floor, then finally resting upon the face of Splinter.

She bowed her head, shame plastered across her face, "Crap, I'm...I'm sorry. I dunno what just happened."

"You have been through a very traumatic ordeal, Miss Fletcher. It is no surprise if you begin suffering from some form of PTSD. There is nothing to be ashamed of," he assured, giving her shoulder a tiny squeeze. "Come, you should rest some more."

Mel allowed herself to be pulled to her feet and led into the living room by Leonardo and Raphael. They lay her down on the sofa, propping her back against a large cushion and draping a blanket over her body. Splinter and Leo sat in the two armchairs opposite each other while Donnie and Mikey made themselves comfortable on the floor beside the sofa. Seeing nowhere to fit, Raph remained standing, until he noticed Mel pulling her legs up, making room for him at the end of the sofa. Raph lowered himself onto the cushion, all the while feeling a certain brothers' eyes watching his every move. Smirking to himself, Raph relaxed back into the cushions and pulled Mel's feet onto his lap. Keeping one hand resting gently on top of her ankles, he slung his free arm over the back of the couch, sending his purple-clad brother a smug smile. Donnie felt his features twitch as he fought to keep a blank expression, but Raphael had managed to catch the look of jealousy in his eyes.

"I'm sorry 'bout your cup, Mikey," Mel spoke quietly as she avoided eye contact with the orange-clad turtle.

Mikey shrugged his shoulders with a grin, "it's no biggie, dudette. It was gonna end up becoming trash someday anyway."

Mel smiled despite herself at the turtles' words. Lizzy used to have the exact same attitude towards such things. Whenever she had broken or damaged one of her things she would simply shrug her tiny shoulders, grin, and move on to the next thing.

"Oh my God!"

Mel jumped at the shrill outburst coming from the lair's entrance. April stormed through the lair, Casey right behind her, though still struggling to keep up. Before Mel could fully come to terms with what was happening, she was pulled into a rough embrace, suddenly unable to breathe as her face was pressed against someone's chest. April hung over the back of the couch, arms wrapped tightly around the young girls' head. Mel's head began to spin as the scent of April's perfume became overpowering.

"You poor thing," April said, smothering Mel with kisses. "Thank God you're alright. I was so worried."

"Ugh, gross, O'Neil!" Mel stuck her tongue out. "You're gettin' slobber all over me."

Though she made a point of complaining, Mel was actually enjoying the sign of affection from the older woman. She had never had another person fuss over her before. Growing up, she had always been the one to look after Lizzy since their 'mother' was too busy living the life of a single woman.

April pulled away and cupped the young girls' face in her hands, "I'm so sorry this happened to you. I should've gone with you."

Mel frowned, "this ain't your fault, O'Neil."

"Yes it is! I took on the role of your Big Sister. I'm supposed to protect you and I didn't!"

"This ain't your fault," Mel repeated, her voice taking on a firmer tone.

April looked upon her with sadness, "but look at what's happened to you. You're injured-"

"The only one that should be blamed is me," Mel's eyes grew dark the same time as her hand clenched into a fist. "Being stupid enough to get captured."

"You should not be blaming yourself, Miss Fletcher," Splinter said. "The only one to blame is the one who is responsible for this."

"Unless you got this way by crawling back to the Dragons'," Casey spoke for the first time since arriving. "Then yeah, you would be pretty stupid."

The room grew silent. Everyone turned to Casey with angry eyes, including Donnie and Mikey which was a surprise for the human male. Biting down on her tongue to keep from crying in pain, Mel forced herself into a sitting position, much to the disappointment of Raphael, and narrowed her eyes.

"Ya know, even though my arm ain't there anymore...I can still feel it. And in case ya were wondering-" Mel's green orbs flicked up to meet the iciness of his blue orbs "-I'm giving ya the finger right now."

Casey had no response for the young girl. Instead he crossed his arms and silently fumed as he took a seat by the armchair Leonardo currently occupied. Mel had a satisfied smirk on her face before turning to the others with a serious expression.

"Ya know, Shredder was the one to do this to me."

Time stood still once those words left her lips. Everyone's bodies became rigid at the mention of Shredder's name.

"What would Shredder want with you?" Leonardo was the first to break the silence. "And how would he even know who you were?"

Mel gave an almost unnoticeable shrug of her shoulders. "Dunno, but I'm guessing that big oaf, Hun, told him 'bout me."

April looked close to tears as she looked down at Mel's still bruised face, though the swelling on her eye had gone down, thank heavens. "But why would Shredder do this to you? He doesn't even know you."

"He knows I'm friends with the turtles," Mel glanced at the four reptiles. "That's why he took me. He wanted me to rat you guys out to him. Tell him the location of the lair, ya know?"

"Wait, what?" Leonardo shook his head as her words slowly sunk in. "Shredder tortured you to gain information about us? You were tortured because of us?"

"No!" Mel shook her head quickly. She didn't want them getting the wrong idea. What happened was not their fault at all. "This ain't your fault. Shredder tortured me 'cause he's a total psychopath!"

The turtles exchanged guilty glances. Mel was taken hostage by _their_ most hated enemy; Oroku Saki. She was then beaten and tortured by him, and why? So that he could find out the location of _their_ lair. They had taken her in. It was their job to protect her and they failed. This was _their_ fault. Despite what Mel said.

Mel glanced at the hot-headed turtle sitting beside her when she heard a vicious growl escape his beak. His six fingers dug deep into the seat cushion as he fought to control his rising anger. A tentative hand rested on his shoulder.

"Raph? Ya look like you're 'bout to pop a blood vessel. I think ya need to chill."

"Chill?" Raphael laughed bitterly. "You're an idiot."

Mel's hand slipped from his shoulder and she frowned, "why? What'd I do?"

"It's what ya didn't do! Ya shoulda told Shredder where we were!" The red-clad turtle snapped as he sprang from the sofa.

Mel threw the blanket from her body, staring at him in disbelief. "Why the hell would I do a stupid thing like that?" She turned her attention to the other mutants, who silently sat watching the two. "Can ya believe this guy?"

Donnie glanced around nervously before also getting to his feet. "To be honest, I actually agree with Raph on this one." At her stunned expression, Donnie held up his hands, "let me explain-"

"No," Mel cut him off sharply. "I don't need explanations on anything, kay? Ya really wanna know why I didn't turn all of ya in? Huh?" She closed her eyes and released a heavy sigh before looking to each individual mutant. "I didn't say anything 'cause I didn't want any of ya to die 'cause of me."

Mel sat back down on the edge of the couch and ran a hand through her hair. "Lizzy died 'cause of me, I know that for a fact. And when she died I just became...well, we all know what I became. Anyway, I cut myself off from everyone else and I put up this barrier so I wouldn't get close to people, and they wouldn't get close to me. But then I met one very pushy broad-"

"Hey!"

"-and four very bizarre, yet oddly fascinating, mutant reptiles which happened to change that. I started to let my guard down and, well believe it or not, I actually kinda care 'bout ya all. So, when Shredder tried forcing me to tell him where the lair was I knew he was gonna kill ya, and I couldn't bear the thought of that."

Mel was quick to brush away the tears that started to roll down her cheeks. Her face brightened from embarrassment as she spoke. "So yeah, that's why I didn't tell him 'cause I care 'bout you stupid mutants way too much to lose you. I don't regret my decision, and if I had to do it again I would. So go ahead and call me stupid or whatever-"

Her words were cut off and replaced by a grunt of surprise when Michelangelo threw his arms around her small frame, pulling her hard against his plastron. She was surprised by the sudden contact but what he said next surprised her even more.

"Shredder will pay for this, Mel."

The seriousness in his voice sounded so foreign to her ears. "Mikey..."

"He's right. Shredder can't get away with this," Donnie said. The anger in his eyes was plain to see and Mel felt a pang of guilt punch her in the stomach.

"No," Mel whispered. "I don't want you guys risking your lives for me."

"You almost got ganked 'cause of us. It's time we settle the score," Raphael glared, though Mel couldn't tell if it was directed at her or not.

Leonardo nodded in agreement from his place in the armchair. "We cannot, and will not, allow Shredder to get away with hurting you, Mel."

Mel gently pushed Mikey away and shook her head while staring at the blue-clad turtle. "I don't get it. Why are putting your brothers lives at risk for me? I kept my mouth shut to keep your family safe!"

"Which is exactly why we have to deal with Shredder," Leo said, rising from his seat. "You're a part of our family now, Mel. And nobody messes with our family."

"Wow...thanks, Leo," Mel muttered shyly.

"Aww I think she's blushing," Mikey teased, prodding Mel's cheek with his finger.

Mel couldn't help but laugh as she swatted his hand away. "Yeah, yeah, laugh it up, reptile. You're lucky I'm too sore to get up and kick your ass. Oh," she turned to Master Splinter with a serious expression. "Master S? Is it still possible to learn ninjutsu?"

Splinter glanced at her missing limb briefly and frowned. "To be honest, Miss Fletcher, I would not recommend getting back into training anytime soon."

"But Master-"

Splinter held up a hand, instantly silencing her. "No buts, Miss Fletcher. Teaching you ninjutsu would not be the wisest decision for you right now. I think your time would be better spent on focusing on how to handle day to day activities. And even then, ninjutsu may not be the best option."

Anger began to stir inside the young girl. The constant shake her body has had for the last few days became noticeable to everyone in the room as she glared at the old rat. "You don't think I can do it? That it, huh? 'Cause I'm a cripple now?!"

The room grew silent. The turtles and their two human friends glanced apprehensively between Mel and Splinter. Splinter's whiskers twitched in mild agitation. He was not expecting such a response; and he was not the only one. Mel had even surprised herself at the sudden angry outburst. It was not her intention but his words had made her feel weak and useless, just like Shredder had told her she was.

"I apologise if I have somehow offended you, Miss Fletcher. Believe me, it was never my intention. I think you are capable of many wonderful things, but as of right now you need time to recover. Not only for your physical wounds but for your mental wounds as well." He peered at her with gentle eyes. "Understand, Miss Fletcher, I am only doing what I think is best for you, not because I find that you are incapable."

Mel's heart sank. Deep down she knew he was only trying to help. He wasn't to blame for anything that had happened, so why take out her anger on him?

"I know you are, Master S. I'm sorry," she mumbled, avoiding his gaze. "I dunno what's going on with me."

He bowed his head, a smile grazing his lips, "It's quite alright, Miss Fletcher. I understand that this is a...confusing time for you."

Mel jumped when a cautious hand fell upon her shoulder, but she soon relaxed when she saw April sending her an apologetic smile. April wordlessly held out a bottle of water, which Mel took with a forced, tight-lipped smile. Just as she was about to settle back onto the couch, a loud crash from Donatello's laboratory made her scream and jump off the couch. Without realising it, Mel had ended up in the supportive arms of Donatello.

"It's ok, Mel. It's ok," he repeated while rubbing his three-fingered hand up and down her back in attempt to comfort her. "Look, it was only Klunk."

Reluctantly turning her head to the side she saw the orange and white kitten emerging from the lab. Klunk licked one of his paws and meowed before pouncing up the stairs and into the safety of Michelangelo's room.

Mel pulled away with tears streaming down her cheeks. She looked around the room at the five mutants, April, and Casey. Shame and embarrassment punched her straight in the stomach as she realised they had all seen her lose it for the second time this morning. If it wasn't for Donnie still holding her waist then she'd be on the floor in a heap right now.

"Come. You should sit," Donnie said quietly as he sat her back down onto the couch. He picked up the bottle of water from the ground and placed it in her hand. Mel sniffed and sat the bottle in between her knees as she tried twisting the cap off, but it wouldn't budge. Blinking stupidly at the still closed bottle between her knees she tried giving it another twist. It remained unchanged.

"Here, let me open that for you," Leonardo said as he reached for the bottle, though his hand froze mid-air when Mel pulled away with growl.

"I can do it myself!"

Determined to prove herself capable of doing things on her own, Mel crushed the bottle tightly between her knees and gripped the cap and pulled and twisted as hard as she could. Still the cap wouldn't come off.

 _You're pathetic! Look at you, struggling. Can't even open a bottle by yourself._

Shredder's taunting voice rang in head, which only angered her even more. Mel placed the bottle in her mouth and attempted biting the cap off with her teeth. Though that was another failed attempt.

 _How does it feel to be so weak, Amelia? Hmm? So useless and needy? You know people won't stick around for someone that is in constant need of assistance. It's so...pathetic._

"Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!" Mel screamed, startling everyone in the room.

 _Face it, Amelia. You're nothing but a burden. A pathetic, worthless little burden that will never amount to anything._

Trembling in anger, she gripped the bottle forcefully. Biting back the pain in her body, she mustered up whatever remaining strength she had left and threw the bottle across the room. The others watched in stunned silence as Mel stormed away from the living room, stomped up the stairs and into her bedroom, where she slammed the door behind her.

"What exactly did Shredder do to her?" April whispered to herself, though the others shook their head in response.

"Nothin' good," Raphael muttered darkly, his own anger building up.

"Ya guys know what ya should be askin'?" Casey said from his place on the floor. When nobody answered him he spoke again, "ya should be askin' why Shredder let her go in the first place. I mean, he ain't exactly the type of dude to just let people go. So what gives?"

For once, Casey had a point. Shredder would never allow a prisoner to leave, and in the condition Mel had arrived at the lair there would be no chance that she escaped on her own. Something was not right about this. But what could it be?

3rd POV (After Mel's escape)

Sitting on his throne, Oroku Saki narrowed his eyes as he looked at the trembling Foot soldier in front of him. Karai and Rena stood obediently on either side of his throne watching as their Masters' long, agile fingers tapped the arm of his throne in silent irritation. Hun stood behind the Foot soldier with his large hand clutching onto his shoulder, forcing him to kneel. The soldier, known as Eiichi, swallowed the giant lump that had formed in his throat. His mind raced as he thought of reasons as to why Shredder had summoned him, but his mind was coming up blank. He stared fearfully into the face of his Master, hoping to gain some insight as to why he was there, but his Masters' dark, impenetrable eyes and inscrutable expression gave little away. Eiichi took a sharp intake of breath as he noticed his Masters' fingers cease there irritable tapping and rise from his seat.

Oroku Saki slowly strode down the three steps towards Eiichi. Stopping before him, Oroku tore the mask from the soldiers face and tossed it aside. Eiichi's mop of black hair stuck to his forehead due to sweat and his pale grey eyes stared up at his Master in terror.

"Amelia Fletcher..." Oroku growled at him. "Where is she?"

Oh. That's why he was there.

Eiichi shook his head wildly, his voice trembling, "I don't know, Master Shredder."

"You don't know?" Oroku repeated, tilting his head to one side as he narrowed his eyes. He folded his arms behind his back and began to pace, his shoes clicking quietly against the wooden floor. "You were supposed to be guarding her cell, were you not?"

"I-I was, b-but then I was r-relieved of m-my post," Eiichi stuttered as his mouth became dry. A bead of sweat trickled down the side of his face and he fought the urge to wipe it away.

Oroku stopped mid-pace and glanced at him over his shoulder. "Is that so? And who relieved you of your post, Eiichi?"

Eiichi answered in a small voice, "Hyousuke did, Master Shredder."

"Hyousuke..." Oroku turned his body around so he was facing him. He could see Eiichi trying not to flinch as Hun tightened his grip on his shoulder. "And who gave him permission to relieve you?"

"I don't know! I honestly don't know, Master. I never thought to ask."

"Well, Eiichi..." Oroku started slowly, his eyes growing even darker than before. "Due to your inability to ask questions, Hyousuke is now dead. One of my best soldiers was murdered because you failed to perform your duties."

Within an instant, Oroku had Eiichi by the throat and raised him off the ground. "I shall give you a chance to redeem yourself, Eiichi. Tell me, how do you suppose Amelia escaped, hmm?"

Eiichi coughed as he tried prying his Masters' fingers from his throat but his grip only tightened. "I don't...know, Master. She...seemed t-too weak to actually...f-fight back."

"Which means what, Eiichi?"

"Which would...m-most likely m-mean...that she...had...help."

Oroku released his hold on the mans' throat, dropping him to the ground in a convulsing heap. So it appears he had been right in the beginning. Amelia had an accomplice. And there's only one person that would have any reason to help that girl.

Oroku faced the two women standing on either side of his throne. He gestured for them to come and stand before him. The women bowed respectfully, stood before their Master and knelt on the ground at his feet.

"I'm interested in knowing which one of you gave Hyousuke permission to relieve Eiichi of his duties," he circled them, like a lion would his prey. He already knew Karai would never betray him. She had proven herself loyal on numerous occasions. Though in all honesty, Rena had also remained loyal, but this situation is unlike any other. "So, which one of you gave the order?"

The women glanced at each other briefly before directing their attention back to the floor. "Not me, Master."

He stopped in front them with his back turned. "Interesting...Eiichi? Who do you think gave the order?"

Eiichi glanced nervously between the two women, then back at Shredder. Instead of answering he shook his head side-to-side uncertainly. Oroku inaudibly sighed and scratched his temple with his index finger.

"Useless..." he muttered beneath his breath. "Karai, I already know where you were when this happened. Unfortunately the same cannot be said for you, Rena."

"I was spending the night with Tetsu, Master." She lifted her eyes from the floor to meet his cold gaze. Feeling unintimidated by him, she fluttered her eyelashes and smirked beneath her mask, "If you must question him, you'll find that he is sleeping peacefully in my chambers. It appears as though I wore him out quite a bit."

Oroku seemed less than impressed with her answer, but only because she now had an alibi. He remembered hearing other soldiers complaining about the...sensual noises coming from her chambers.

Karai kept glancing at Rena from the corner of her eye, a frown on her face, though she remained quiet. She had her suspicious that something wasn't right, but without proper evidence than her word meant nothing.

"One of you is lying to me," Oroku said, beginning to walk again. "Karai, Rena; you both know of the consequences if I discover you're lying to me."

Oroku turned to his adoptive daughter as he noticed her shooting an accusatory glance at the older woman beside her.

"Karai? Are you aware of something I am not?"

"Not completely, Master. I guess you could say I..." she frowned at Rena, who stared back at her with an indifferent expression. "...have my doubts."

Rena laughed at that and rolled her eyes.

Karai narrowed her eyes, "What is so amusing?"

"Nothing," she said, shaking her head slightly. "I just find your accusations of disloyalty quite humorous seeing as how you have been the one to stray on numerous occasions."

Karai raised herself from her kneeling position. Rena followed her lead, her smirk hidden by the mask she wore. Oroku watched the exchange between the two women in silent interest.

"I have done no such thing," Karai defended herself.

"Oh no?" Rena rested her hand on her hip casually. "Need I remind you that all our plans we've had to dispose of those disgusting turtles have been foiled because of you? Now why is that, Karai? It couldn't possibly have anything to do with a certain blue-clad turtle that goes by the name of Leonardo, could it?"

In a flash of movement Karai had her blade held threateningly at Rena's throat. Rena's eyes glistened in triumph.

"Ooh, seems I've struck a nerve," Rena noted with obvious pleasure. She moved the tip of the blade aside with her index finger, a faint smirk appearing at the corners of her mouth. Turning her attention towards her Master, Rena bowed her head respectively.

"With all due respect, Master Shredder, it is not my loyalty you should be questioning."

"Oh but I must, Rena. Even though you have never given me reason not to trust you, I'm afraid this is no ordinary situation." Oroku slid his hand into one of his pockets and withdrew the silver necklace he had taken from Amelia's neck. Holding it out in front of him, Rena's eyes widened slightly. "This was around Amelia's neck. It used to belong to you, yes?"

"Yes, Master. It did."

Oroku slid the necklace back into pocket and folded his arms behind his back. "This is the reason why I have to question your loyalty to me. I need to make sure that you're not going to go back on your oath just because your daughter is here."

Rena rolled her shoulders, stood in front of Oroku and looked him straight in the eye. "Sixteen years ago I pledged my allegiance to you, Master Shredder. I am committed to you, now and forever. My very being belongs to you, and only you. I am no longer the same woman I was all those years ago. Elora died in that apartment, and Rena was born. All previous relationships I had in my past life mean nothing to me. This girl, Amelia, is not my daughter, and I refuse to acknowledge her as such. If you require, I shall recite my pledge to you again to prove where my loyalties lie."

She knew by the way his shoulders relaxed and his brow evened out that he believed her. "That will not be necessary." His dark eyes glanced over her shoulder and down at Eiichi, who still trembled by Hun's feet. "It appears we have our traitor. Karai, Rena, you're dismissed for now."

The pair bowed simultaneously and left the room. Once outside the throne room, Karai grabbed hold of Rena's wrist. Rena looked at her curiously.

"Don't think you're off the hook so soon, _Rena_. I know you're the one responsible for this, and I'm going to prove it."

As soon as those words left her lips, Karai found herself pinned up against the wall. An unusual gurgling sound rose from her throat as Rena's grip on her neck tightened. Karai felt a tiny sliver of fear as she stared into Rena's eyes. They were empty. It was almost as if she were staring into the eyes of the deceased. Her usual bright green orbs were ominously dark as they bore deep into her own frightened eyes.

"You need to learn how to control that tongue of yours, Karai." Her voice became eerily low, almost demonic, as she spoke. "Or someone, someday, is going to wind up cutting it off for you; I'd hate for that someone to be me." She tightened her grip a little bit more; raising Karai slightly up a little so only her toes touched the ground. "I suggest you stay out of my way from now on, Karai. Because the next time you piss me off, you're going to end up a hell of a lot worse than Eiichi in there. Do I make myself clear?"

Karai struggled against her hold but ended up nodding once. The pressure on her throat was lifted and she fell to her knees, gasping for a breath. Panting heavily, her narrowed eyes watched as Rena disappeared around the corner.

Walking swiftly down the multiple hallways, Rena arrived at her room. Sliding open the door, she stepped inside and closed it behind her. Her hands slammed down on the surface of the dressing table, causing the many beauty products atop it to tumble over and roll off the side. She ripped off her face plate and removed her hooded cape, throwing them both on top of her empty bed. Her raven black hair tumbled over her shoulders in luscious curls, a dark curtain on either side of her face. She gently grabbed a piece of hair and twirled it around in her fingers as she thought of Amelia.

Her daughter. She, too, had hair as black as hers, though it was shorter than she would have liked. A smiled grazed her lips as an overwhelming joy filled her heart. Her daughter, even though she was gravely injured, was alive. Hopefully those turtles are looking after her.

Rena stared at her reflection in the mirror. Her eyes lingered on the Foot emblem on the front of her uniform and she repeated the clan oath in her head.

 _I pledge my life and honour to you, Oroku Saki; leader of the Foot clan._

 _I shall obey every command, and fulfil every duty to the best of my abilty and without question or hesitation_

 _The protection of your life is my main priority. I shall defend you, kill for you, and if need be; give my life for you._

 _Never shall I lie to you or attempt to hide something from you._

 _Nothing and nobody shall interfere with my obedience to you._

 _If by any means my oath is broken, I shall accept whatever punishment my Master deems necessary._

Rena frowned and tore the emblem from her chest and slammed it down onto the dresser. The minute she laid eyes on her daughter, she knew her oath would be broken. If Shredder found out she had betrayed him, he would kill her. She couldn't let that happen. Not now. She was going to do whatever it took to see her little Tomoe again. Even if it meant playing Shredder's sick little game a little while longer.

Rena stared back at her reflection and smirked.

"Soon, Tomoe," she whispered. "Soon we shall be reunited once more."


End file.
